A brief history of VAAP

The CFI Lease

The Army originally used this land for production during WWII (from 1942 to 1945) and the Korean Conflict (1952 to 1957). During these two periods the north and south acid areas were used to produce nitric and sulfuric acid. From 1945 to 1952, the site was placed on standby status.

The CFI lease was established in 1962. CFI operated commercial production facilities for ammonium nitrate, uera, and related fertilizer products. CFI construted an ammonia plant and used two existing nitric acid plants to provide raw materials for ammonium nitrate production. In 1963, a urea plant was put in operation, and the capacity of the ammonia plant was doubled.

When the Vietnam Conflict bagan in 1965, the Army took over all the existing acid production equipment in the CFI area to increase nitric acid capacity. In 1966, CFI constructed its own acid plant adjacent to the existing plant for commercial ammonium nitrate production and operated both plants.

In 1972, an industrial wastewater treatment system was put into operation by CFI. The system was designed to treat and recycle ammonium nitrate wastewater. At the same time, a carbon dioxide plant was constructed.

Commercial production by CFI continued until 1984, when all operations ceased, primarily for economic reasons. Between 1984 and 1986, the facilities were dismantled for salvage, and the lease held by CFI was terminated except for administrative close-out.