Polo Cooperative Association - Executive Summary

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Polo Cooperative Association 
Fertilizer Plant 
North Congress St. 
 
Polo, IL  61064 
 
Risk Management Plan 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
 
1. The Facility Policy 
 
The owners, management, and employees of Polo Cooperative Association are committed to the prevention of any accidental release of anhydrous ammonia.  If an accidental release should occur, the facility is prepared to work with the Polo Fire Department, Ogle Co. LEPC or other authorities, to mitigate any release and minimize the impact of the release to people and the environment. 
 
2. Stationary Sources and Regulated Substances 
 
The primary activity at the facility is the storage and blending of fertilizers, farm chemicals and related agricultural products, for sale to the farmer. 
 
The maximum quantity of Anhydrous Ammonia stored would be 118000 gallons (or 551438 lbs.) in our Two storage tank(s), consisting of 2x Rail Cars, 1-30,000 gal. tank and 1-18,000 gal. tank. The maximum quantity handled would be the One of two rail cars (80 ton) on  
the siding holding 163562 pounds. 
 
3. The Worst-Case Release Scenario and the Alternative Release Scenario. 
 
Worse-Case:  The worse-case scenario would be the release of the total contents of a storage tank (or rail tank car) released as a gas over 10 minutes.  The maximum quantity released would be 163562 pounds, which represents the volume of the largest storage tank at 85% capacity as limited by design standards.  The distance to the endpoint (point of dispersion to 200 ppm) is 1.18 miles, which would encompass an area of 4.37 sq. miles, with the potential of impacting approximately 2700 souls in the surrounding area. 
 
Alternative Case:  The alternative release scenario is based on the five-year accident history (or the most likely potential incident) is a release from a break in a 3 inch Diameter transfer hose.  The distance to the endpoint (point of dispersion to 200 ppm) is 0.6 miles, which would encompass an area of 1.13 sq. miles, with the potential of impacting approximately 1 
,350 souls in the surrounding area. 
 
4. The Accidental Release Prevention Program 
 
This facility has implemented the provisions of "Safety Requirements for the Storage and Handling of Anhydours Ammonia, K-61.1", published by The American National Standards, Institute, Inc., and the standards of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 29 CFR 1910.111, "Storage and handling of Anhydrous Ammonia". 
 
5. The Five-year Accident History 
 
There have been no accidental releases of Anhydrous Ammonia (from our fixed sources) in the past five years that: have caused deaths, injuries, or significant property damage at this facility; nor to our knowledge, have resulted in offsite deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in place, property damage, or environmental damages. 
 
6. The Emergency Response Program 
 
This facility has a current Emergency Action Plan ( in accordance with OSHA standard, 29 CFR 1910.38) in place and has coordinated this program with  Fire Chief of Polo Fir 
e Department and with Mel Messer of Ogle Co. LEPC.  We train our staff on the elements found in our response program (in accordance with OSHA standard, 29 CFR 1910.120) and have invited the fire department to visit our facility in order to provide them with a working knowledge of our plant's layout and our storage facility. This facility has 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.
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