Rocketry Planet

DOYLINE, Louisiana USA — In a powder mill in the piney woods of northern Louisiana, workers of the GOEX Black Powder plant carry on an American tradition, grinding out granules of black powder. GOEX, Inc. is the only producer of black powder in North America.

Their predecessor, E.I. Dupont, was once the largest powder producer in America, and several of the mill's workers are third-generation powder hands themselves, bringing the expertise and experience of their fathers and grandfathers to the process.

GOEX, Inc. has began the process to attempt to have black powder reclassified from an category 1.1 explosive to a category 1.3 explosive, the same class as smokeless powder.  As a class 1.1 product, black powder is closely regulated by the Bureau of Alchohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATF).  While class 1.3 materials are regulated to assure safe handling, they do not fall under the same regulatory scrutiny, record keeping and review.

According to the GOEX website, they "have established a clear scientific basis that black powder, especially sporting powders, are no more hazardous than smokeless powder, and should be regulated similarly."  In order to undertake this process, they are attempting to establish just how much scrutiny from regulators and transportation agencies black powder has generated, along with the costs incurred by consumers, dealers and distributors.

GOEX is asking for individuals to share with them how the 1.1 classification of black powder has imposed a hardship or increased the costs of purchasing and shipping the product.  They are seeking individuals who may have given up their license, or had their federal permit revoked due to black powder regulations.

If you would like to read more about this or contribute your story to their cause, visit the GOEX website.

Website: http://www.goexpowder.com/