The Radford Army Ammunition Plant, located in Radford, Virginia, produces rocket and gun propellants. The plant was built in the 1940s by Hercules Powder Company to support military ammunition requirements during World War II. Today, the plant is the only active military propellant manufacturing center in the country. As a manufacturing facility, the plant is subject to the requirements of federal and state environmental statutes and regulations. This provides general information about the purpose and scope of the regulatory programs to better inform citizen stakeholders.
Air Protection Programs
DEQ is authorized to oversee the air permitting program in Virginia. To ensure that emissions do not harm Virginia’s air quality or negatively impact public health, the agency develops permits that uphold the provisions specified by the Clean Air Act (CAA). State and federal law requires these permits to be issued to those industries and facilities that consistently emit harmful pollutants.
Land Protection Programs
As the regulator of solid and hazardous wastes in Virginia, DEQ is authorized to oversee programs mandated by a number of federal laws, including: the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), and the Virginia Waste Management Act.
Water Protection Programs
Section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) established the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which limits the amounts of pollutant discharges that enter streams, rivers and bays. On the state level, DEQ oversees the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permitting program, and requires a permit for all traceable discharges in surface waters. DEQ implements the Underground Storage Tank (UST) program in compliance with Article 9 of the State Water Control Law. The regulations contain requirements for operation and maintenance, recordkeeping and reporting, as well as correction actions.
The State Water Control Law not only mandates the protection of clean waterways throughout Virginia, but also the restoration of all other state waters. To accommodate recreational use and support the growth of aquatic life, DEQ employs water monitoring programs that help maintain water quality standards.
Multi-media Restoration
The Army's cleanup plan, called the Installation Action Plan, is a comprehensive, multiyear, coordinated strategy to identify, investigate and clean up contamination resulting from past operations at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant. For more information, visit: http://www.radfordaapirp.org/
Public Participation
In certain situations, DEQ programs contain public participation requirements and guidelines that include the public in DEQ's regulatory and program implementation decisions. DEQ publishes notices for regulatory and permit actions, policy development, and other actions on the following pages:
To receive notification of regulatory actions, please visit Town Hall.
This facility is located within the DEQ Blue Ridge Regional Office (BRRO).