Farmers Cooperative Company (Lanesboro) - Executive Summary

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Facility:          FARMERS COOPERATIVE COMPANY; Lanesboro, IA 
Contact:         Darrell Baker 
Phone:           712-656-2225 
 
1.  FACITLITY POLICY. 
 
    The owner, management and employees of FARMERS COOPERATIVE COMPANY, Laneboro, IA, are committed to the prevention of any accidental relase of anhydrous ammonia.  If an accidental release should occur, the facility is prepared to work with the local fire department, or other authorities, to mitigate and minimize the impacts of the release to the people and the environment.  
 
2.   FACILITY INFORMATION. 
 
    The primary activity at the facility is the storage and blending of fertilizer for sale to farmers.  Anhydrous ammonia is received, stored and distributed for both direct application and for blending into mixed-grade fertilizers for crop production nutrients. 
 
 
 
    Anhydrous ammonia is stored at the facility in 30,000 gallons (1) storage tank.  The maximun quant 
ity stored would be 150,000 pounds. 
 
3.  WORST-CASE SCENARIO AND ALTERNATE RELEASE SCENARIO 
 
   a.   The worst-case scenario would be the release of the total contents of a storage tank release as gas over a period of 10 minutes.  The maximum quantity released would be 150,000 pounds, which represents the volume of the largest storage tank at 85 percent capacity as limited by design standards.  The distance to the end point is 2.4 miles. 
 
    b.   The alternate release scenario, based on the five-year accident history is a relase from a break in a transfer hose.  The distance to the endpoint is .8 miles. 
 
4.  ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM. 
 
    The facility has been reviewed for general compliance with the provisions of "Safety Requirements for the Storage and handling of Anhydrous Ammonia, K-61.1", published by The American National Standards Institue, Inc. (ANSI), and the standards of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 29 CFR 1910.111,  "storage 
and handling of anhydrous ammonia".  The ANSI Standard has been adopted by reference by Iowa Administrative Code Part 21-Chapter 43-Rule 43.6(200)-Standard for the storage and handling of anhydrous ammonia.  The OSHA standard is referenced in the Registration Form Section 8.3.b. 
 
5.  FIVE-YEAR ACCIDENT HISTORY. 
 
    There have been no accidental release of anhydrous ammonia or propane in the past fire years that:  have caused any deaths, injuries or significant property damage at the facility; nor to our knowledge, have resulted in off-site deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in place, property damage, or environmental damage. 
 
6.  EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM. 
 
    The facility has: 
 
    a.   a written action plan, in accordance with OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.38; 
 
    b.  provided state and local authorities with the emergency planning and community right-to-know           information as required under SARA Title III (EPCRA); 
 
    c.  a written emergency response program, in 
accordance with OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.120, including pre-emergency planning and employee training. 
 
7.  PLANNED CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY. 
 
    Safety imporvement is an on-going process at the facility.  Periodic evaluations are performed to assess the maintenance of safe conditions. 
 
    There are no additional specific safety recommendations regarding storage or use of anhydrous ammonia and propane for implementation at this time.
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