Agra Resources Coop. (dba Exol) - Executive Summary |
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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. 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 percent pentane, an RMP regulated substance. The natural gasoline is added to the ethanol to make the ethanol unfit for human consumption. The maximum amount of na tural gasoline on-site is estimated to be 82,700 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. Agra Resources plans to install an 18,000 gallon anhydrous ammonia tank during expansion of the facility. The tank would be installed in approximately April, 2001. 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 analysis adressed both natural gasoline and anhydrous ammonia. The worst case scenario for natural gasoline as defined 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 82,700 pounds of the denaturant (pentane) and the release of all ammonia in the storage tank (71,200 pounds) over a 10 minute time period as a vapor cloud. The analyses projected off-site endpoints for releases of both natural gasoline and anhydrous ammonia. The alternate case analysis for natural gasoline also used RMP*Comp? and considered a flange leak with a 96 pound release and a subsequent vapor cloud fire. The alternate case analysis for anhydrous ammonia considered release of 50 pounds per minute of material for a period of 20 minutes. The resulting endpoints for natural gasoline and anhydrous ammonia were both 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 History 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. Installation of the anhydrous ammonia tank will not be completed until approximately April, 2001. 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. |