WEST BEND ELEVATOR COMPANY - WHITTEMORE - Executive Summary |
|
The accident release prevention and emergency response policies at our Whittemore facility is the following: Whittemore complies with requirements for anhydrous ammonia storage and it is our policy to adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws. If an emergency were to occur, signs are posted that refer to Tom Winkel who is employed by West Bend Elevator. Tom will then decide what steps need to be taken in the event of an emergency. This facility is a wholesale business providing products for the production of grain and livestock enterprises. Our worst case scenario is failure of one of our anhydrous ammonia storage tanks when filled to the greatest amount allowed which is 119,340 pounds. This would cause the anhydrous to become liquefied under pressure. If this were to occur the release would be 11,400 pounds per minute and the duration of the release would be approximately 10 minutes. According to EPA look-up tables, the distance to the endpoint is 3.6 miles. Wh ittemore has 2 bullet tanks and 31 nurse tanks containing anhydrous ammonia at their location. There are an estimated 511 people within this radius. Residences, schools, recreation areas and major commerical, office or industrial areas are in this radius. It is Whittemore's intention to comply with EPA's accident prevention rules and applicable state and local codes and regulations. West Bend Elevator Company holds training sessions regularly to train new employees and review procedures with other employees. Hoses, valves, and vents are regularly inspected for any problems. The anhydrous ammonia plant was designed, installed, and is maintained with state laws and regulations in mind. We have never had an accident involving NH3 that caused death, injuries, property or environmental damage, evacuations, or shelterings in the past 5 years. In the event of an emergency involving the NH3 system, it is our policy to notify the Whittemore Fire Dept and request that they respond to t he emergency. We have discussed this policy with the Kossuth County Disaster Coordinator and Whittemore Fire Dept. We have had the Whittemore Fire Dept inspect our NH3 facility. We at this time have no plans to improve or change our plans. We review the plans annually or sooner if necessary. |