RURAL GAS, INC. - Executive Summary |
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RURAL GAS, INC. P.O. BOX 26 BELLEVILLE, KS 66935 RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. FACILITY POLICY THE OWNERS, MANAGEMENT, AND EMPLOYEES OF RURAL GAS, INC. ARE COMMITTED TO THE PREVENTION OF ANY ACCIDENTIAL RELEASES OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA AND PROPANE. IN THE EVENT AN ACCIDENTAL RELEASE OCCURS, RURAL GAS IS PREPARED TO WORK WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND AUTHORITIES TO MITIGATE ANY RELEASE AND MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THE RELEASE TO PEOPLE AND ENVIRONMENT. 2. FACILITY INFORMATION -THE PRIMARY ACTIVITY AT THE FACILITY IS THE STORAGE OF FERTILIZER FOR RETAIL SALE TO AREA FARMERS. ANHYDROUS AMMONIA IS RECEIVED, STORED AND DISTRIBUTED FROM THREE STORAGE TANKS THAT WHEN COMBINED HOLD APPROXIMATELY 157,000 POUNDS . -THE PROPANE AT THE FACILITY IS STORED, RECEIVED AND DISTRIBUTED FROM TWO STORAGE TANKS THAT WHEN COMBINED HOLD APPROXIMATELY 89,000 POUNDS. THE PROPANE IS SOLD FOR RURAL RESIDENTIAL AND AGRIC ULTURAL USE. 3. THE WORST-CASE RELEASE SCENARIO AND ALTERNATIVE RELEASE SCENARIO. -ANHYDROUS AMMONIA A. THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE THE RELEASE OF THE TOTAL CONTENTS OF A STORAGE TANK RELEASED AS A GAS OVER 10 MINUTES. THE MAXIMUM QUANITY RELEASED WOULD BE 78,795 POUNDS, WHICH REPRESENTS THE VOLUME OF THE LARGEST STORAGE TANK AT 85 PERCENT CAPACITY AS LIMITED BY DESIGN STANDARDS. THE DISTANCE TO THE END POINT IS 4.2 MILES. B. THE ALTERNATIVE RELEASE SCENARIO BASED ON THE MOST LIKELY POTENTIAL INCIDENT IS A RELEASE FROM A BREAK IN A TRANSFER HOSE. THE DISTANCE TO THE ENDPOINT IS .1 MILES. -PROPANE A. THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE THE RELEASE OF THE TOTAL CONTENTS OF A STORAGE TANK RELEASED AS A VAPOR CLOUD EXPLOSION. THE MAXIMUM QUANTITY RELEASED WOULD BE 67,000 POUNDS, WHICH REPRESENTS THE VOLUME OF THE LARGEST STORAGE TANK AT 85 PERCENT CAPACITY AS LIMITED BY DESIGN STANDARDS. THE DISTANCE TO 1 PSI OVERPRESSURE IS .3 MILES. B. THE ALTERNATIVE RELEASE SCENARIO BASED ON THE MOST LIKELY POTENTIAL INCIDENT IS A VAPOR CLOUD EXPLOSION AFTER A 5 MINUTE RELEASE OF 30 POUNDS. THE ESTIMATED DISTANCE TO 1 PSI OVERPRESSURE IS .03 MILES. 4. THE ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM. THE FACILITY HAS IMPLEMENTED THE PROVISIONS OF " STORAGE AND HANDLING OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA". THE STANDARDS OF THE U.S. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA), 29 CFR 1910.111. THE FACILITY USES NFPA 58 PROVISION STANDARDS FOR THE STORAGE AND HANDLING OF PROPANE. 5. THE FIVE-YEAR ACCIDENT HISTORY THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTAL RELEASES OF ANHYDROUS AMMONIA OR PROPANE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THAT: - HAVE CAUSED ANY DEATHS, INJURIES, OR SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE AT THE FACILITY; NOR - TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, HAVE RESULTED IN OFFSITE DE ATHS, INJURIES, EVACUATIONS, SHELTERING IN PLACE, PROPERTY DAMAGE, OR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE. 6. THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM - THE FACILITY HAS: A. A WRITTEN EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH OSHA STANDARD, 29 CFR 1910.38; B. PROVIDED STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES THE EMERGENCY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW INFORMATION AS REQUIRED UNDER SARA TITLE III(EPCRA). 7. PLANNED CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT IS AN ON-GOING PROCESS AT THE FACILITY. PERIODIC EVALUATIONS ARE PERFORMED TO ASSESS THE MAINTENANCE OF SAFE CONDITIONS. THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL SPECIFIC ANHYDROUS AMMONIA SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT THIS TIME. |