Jefferson Proving Ground

In December 1940, the site acquisition committee decided on a 56,000-acre (230 km2) tract of land in Ripley, Jefferson, and Jennings counties in southern Indiana.

The site was selected for its proximity to a powder manufacturing plant at Charlestown, Indiana, an ordinance plant at LaPorte County, Indiana, and an ammunition storage depot in Martin County, Indiana, as well as military installations at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, Fort Hayes in Ohio, and Forts Thomas and Knox in Kentucky.

[1][2] In April 1953, JPG reached a pinnacle of employment and activity, with 1,774 employees and a production of 175,000 rounds fired monthly.

Since that time, the U.S. Army has maintained a small on-site oversight staff and an off-site environmental coordinator.

[7] The base contains a substantial amount of depleted uranium and the NRC has posed questions to the Army regarding environmental concerns as a result.