Richmond's Nerve Gas storage?? (Lexington, Danville: transfer, university, to live)

[countrycouple]

We are considering moving to the area and a friend of mine that lived in Berea just told me that there is a big army depot there and they store nerve gas there. Is that a concern to anyone? Has there been any problems related to this? We are thinking of moving to Danville but would be traveling often to the Richmond area. But now the thought of being close to nerve gas scares me. Anyone with info???? Thanks!

[timelesschild]

That's troubling, isn't it? I hadn't thought of that in a while. When you live in Lexington, you usually don't think of it... then someone will mention it and you think about it a little while, and then it fades away again. Spooky...

I don't have any recent info about it. There was talk a few years ago about getting rid of it...

[bluegrassgirl]

There is a date set that all the nerve gas is suppose to be moved by. I can't remember when that is unfortunately. The problem is that to move it is so controversial. Everytime a plan is established, someone comes out against it. Of course, if you had an interstate or a traintrack that went by your house, you wouldn't want to see nerve gas going down the road either. It's a tough problem to address. I do know that they monitor it rigorously of course and I can remember one tiny scare a couple of years ago. I have several friends that live in Richmond and they seem perfectly calm about things. There is also a state university there and if there was any unsettling rumors about the gas, that could trim their numbers drastically I would think.

[tidewater_boy21]

I live in Irvine, the town right next to Richmond. We have a plan here incase something happens. However, since I can remember beside 9-11 scare there has been only 1 scene there. From what I remember there was a minor leak. Yes they do want to move it, but to do that they have to carry the "gas" on the interstate and that caused a big thing. Other then that no one I know even thinks about it as a problem.

[nlschr0]

Personally I wouldn't want to live anywhere near it, between the chance of accidents and also the fact that it was once named one of several "possible targets" of a terrorist attack on US grounds. (In addition to the chemical weapons like nerve gas, evidently they are also a big storage area for standard military weapons).

At one point there was talk to building an incinerator onsite to burn up the nerve gas, but fortunately that was turned down after public outcry. Now, they are talking about moving the gas to an incinerator out of state but there have been all kinds of issues with that, and at last I heard they would probably not be able to move it before 2017.

There have been some recent leaks, but fortunately they have all been small and contained. Like I said, though, it is not a place that I would personally choose to live near.

[haley06]

I have lived in Richmond for the past four years and I have not really thought about it much. The city does have a plan in place and a siren to let people know. I do not think that it is a big problem, but maybe I should.

[tomocox]

In 1973-74, the Army wanted to destroy all the weapons, but the public wouldn't allow them to build an incinerator. Mid-1980's the government wanted to transfer the gas canisters to another base for destruction. The public wouldn't let the army move the canisters through their towns.... Today, the containers are deteriorating and the gas is beginning to leak... mmmm....

[countrycouple]

Originally Posted by tomocox

In 1973-74, the Army wanted to destroy all the weapons, but the public wouldn't allow them to build an incinerator. Mid-1980's the government wanted to transfer the gas canisters to another base for destruction. The public wouldn't let the army move the canisters through their towns.... Today, the containers are deteriorating and the gas is beginning to leak... mmmm....

Well that is pretty scary!!! The thing is, even if an alarm let everyone know it was leaking, well wouldn't the damage pretty much be done? It's not something you can just shower off and call it good I don't think......

[countrycouple]

Thank you all for the info, though I can't say I am less worried about it now...

[bluegrassgirl]

Originally Posted by countrycouple

Thank you all for the info, though I can't say I am less worried about it now...

Heard on the radio this morning as I was going to work "second small leak in two weeks was found yesterday".