Coastal Oyster Creek Chemical - Executive Summary

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The accidental release prevention and emergency response policies at your facility: 
 
Coastal relies on numerous policies and programs to ensure early identification of and proper response to potential emergencies, including:  
 
7 training and drills in emergency preparedness, hazardous materials training, disaster response and control, and fire-and-rescue techniques;  
7 frequent auditing of all preparedness programs; safety training and education, and; 
7 regular review, follow-up, and maintenance of all company operations and equipment.   
 
Our facilities regularly invite local emergency responders to tour and inspect our plants and gain familiarity with our operations.  Our facilities have written emergency response plans that are updated regularly.   
 
A description of your facility and the regulated substances handled:  
 
Our facility is a state-of-the-art ammonia manufacturing plant which began operation in 1998.  Our employees were carefully selected from the local community and they  
represent some of the most experienced and capable personnel in the chemical industry.  This facility handles ammonia in quantities that cause the site to be covered by the EPA Risk Management Program regulations.   
 
The worst-case release scenario: 
 
For the worst-case release scenario, the EPA requires the assumption that the entire quantity of the largest vessel of ammonia is released over a ten minute period.  This scenario is highly unlikely to occur.  For our facility, the worst-case release scenario would be a release of 18.2 tons per minute of ammonia over a ten minute period.  Based on our analysis using EPA-approved methods, the distance from the release where persons could be adversely affected by exposure to ammonia is 10.5 miles.   
 
For the alternative release scenario, we have assumed a leak of liquid ammonia escaping through a one inch diameter hole for ten minutes.  This release would result in a release rate of 2,109 pounds per minute for ten minutes.  Based on our anal 
ysis using EPA-approved methods, the distance from the spill where persons could be adversely affected by exposure to ammonia vapors is 0.9 miles.  
 
The general accidental release prevention program and chemical-specific prevention steps: 
 
This facility complies with EPAs accident prevention rule and all applicable state and local codes and regulations.  Our employees undergo extensive training in the safe operation of our site.  Our plant is a modern, state-of-the-art facility that has been designed and built in accordance with the appropriate codes and standards for anhydrous ammonia production.  Our process has an emergency flare that will combust any ammonia that may be required to be released from the process in the event of an upset condition.   
 
Five-year accident history: 
 
We have never had an accidental release of ammonia from our facility that has resulted in any offsite impacts.  
 
The emergency response program: 
 
Our employees are trained and equipped to minimize the offs 
ite impact of a potential accidental release of anhydrous ammonia.  In the event of a major emergency involving ammonia, it is our policy to notify the local industrial mutual aid team and request that they assist with the response to the emergency. We have discussed this policy with the local responders and pre-planned the response.  
 
Planned changes to improve safety: 
 
Our facility continually evaluates and implements employee suggestions, implements actions resulting from routine hazard reviews, and makes changes to improve safety based on comments and information developed within our organization and the industry.
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