Agra Resources Coop. (dba Exol) - Executive Summary |
|
Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies Agra Resources Coop. (dba Exol) is committed to the protection of its employees, the greater community and the environment from hazardous substances used in the ethanol fuel production process, specifically the natural gasoline used as the ethanol denaturant. The natural gasoline is added to the ethanol to make the ethanol unfit for human consumption. It is the policy of Agra Resources Coop. (dba Exol) to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Facility Description and Regulated Substance Handled Agra Resources Coop. (dba Exol) operates an ethanol fuel production plant located near Albert Lea, in Freeborn County, Minnesota. The facility produces fuel grade ethanol from corn and a process by-product known as dry distillers' grain with solubles, which is used as a livestock feed. The fuel ethanol production process requires use of a denaturant (natural gasoline) which is reported to contain 30 to 40 perc ent pentane, an RMP regulated substance. The maximum amount of natural gasoline on-site is estimated to be 120,000 pounds. The natural gasoline is stored in an above ground tank as a liquid and is introduced to the fuel ethanol in the final stage of production. The denaturant tank is located in the facility's tank farm area which includes secondary containment. Off-Site Consequence Analysis In addition to identifying and reporting regulated materials at the Agra Resources facility, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Risk Management Plan (RMP) program guidance requires companies to share with their communities a look at the worst possible accident that could happen at a facility (as unlikely as that might be) and an alternative, more realistic accident scenario. RMP*Comp, a software tool developed by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was used to perform an off-site consequence analysis for the Agra Resources facility. The worst case scenario de fined by RMP Guidance is a failure of the natural gasoline storage tank resulting in a vapor cloud explosion. The software modeling program considered release of 120,000 pounds of the denaturant (pentane). The analysis projected an off-site endpoint for the release. The alternate case analysis also used RMP*Comp and considered a failure of the tank with a 60,000 pound release and a subsequent vapor cloud fire. The resulting endpoint was off-site from the facility. General Accidental Release Prevention Program Through completion of this RMP, Agra Resources Coop. (dba Exol) has complied with the EPA requirements under 40 CFR Part 68. Process safety information and operations/maintenance procedures are documented on-site. Periodic functions such as process hazard analysis, training, change management and incident investigation are conducted on a regular basis. Audits of the overall RMP will be conducted on a regular basis to assure compliance with EPA regulations. Five Year Accident H istory Agra Resources Coop. (dba Exol) has not had a natural gasoline accident causing death, injuries, environmental or property damage, evacuations or in-place sheltering in the last five years at the fuel production facility.The facility began operation in March of 1999. The Emergency Response Program In the event of an emergency, it is the policy of Agra Resources Coop. (dba Exol) to notify the City of Glenville Fire Department and evacuate all employees from the facility. |