Travelers Rest Resort, Inc. - Executive Summary |
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a. The Travelers Rest Resort is located at 29129 Johnston Road, Dade City, Florida in Pasco County. Construction of the propane storage facility was completed in 1976 and it has been operating safely at the resort since that time. The propane storage facility is composed of a 30,000 gallon propane storage tank, a propane dispensing station, relief valves, process piping, and safety equipment. Travelers Rest Resort has administrative controls in place to limit the maximum propane inventory to 74,000 pounds. The operations building is located approximately 50 feet to the east of the propane storage tank. The resort utilizes the propane storage tank to supply propane to heat the resort swimming pool and spa, to operate appliances in the laundry mat and kitchen at Busch Hall, and to heat several buildings. The propane storage tank is also used to fill small propane storage tanks for recreational vehicles and other equipment at the resort requiring propane as a fuel. b. The Travele rs Rest Resort accidental release prevention policy combines sound operating procedures and management practices. The policy complies with all pertinent procedures of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Accidental Release Prevention Program. Travelers Rest has developed an emergency response plan to respond to an accidental release of propane at the propane storage facility. The emergency response plan has been coordinated with the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). c. The offsite consequence analysis takes into consideration two propane release scenarios, specified as "worst-case release" and "alternative scenario". The "worst-case release" is defined by the EPA as "The release of the largest quantity of a regulated substance (propane) from a vessel or process line failure that results in the greatest distance to a specified endpoint". The "alternative scenario" is defined as the "more problable" scenario of a release, than is the "worst-case release". An e xplosion endpoint of pound per square inch (psi) above atmospheric pressure was used for both scenarios. The worst-case release scenario at the Travelers Rest Resort involves the release of the entire contents (74,000 lbs.) of the propane storage tank. Upon release of the propane, a vapor cloud forms with the entire contents of the tank in flammable range and a detonation occurs. Based on Table 3 of the Risk Management Program Guidance for Propane Storage Facilities (EPA 550-b-98-011, October 1998), the distance to the 1 psi overpressure explosion endpoint for a 74,000 lb. propane release at the Travelers Rest Resort is 0.3 miles. The alternative release scenario involves the breakage of a 1" propane line which supplies propane to Busch hall for heating the pool and spa and as fuel for the laundry mat. The propane release lasts 10 minutes before manual valves can be closed. Based on Table 4 of the Risk Management Program Guidance for Propane Storage Facilities (EPA 550-b-98-011, October 1998), the release rate is 1,895 pounds per minute, the total quantity of propane released is 18,950 pounds, and the distance to the 1 psi overpressure endpoint is 0.2 miles. d. The Travelers Rest Resort accidental release prevention program consists of the following elements: - The training and certification of all operators. - Ongoing equipment inspections by the operators. - Maintenance performed on a routine basis by state certified contractor. e. The Travelers Rest Resort has experienced no accidental releases of propane over the past five years. f. The operators of the Travelers Rest Resort propane storage facility do not respond to accidental releases. Emergency response is coordinated with the local fire department and appropiate procedures are in place to notify emergency responders of an accidental propane release. |