Farm Service Cooperative- Harlan, IA - Executive Summary

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Farm Service Cooperative 
Harlan, Iowa 
 
Risk Management Plan-  Executive Summary 
 
 
1.  The owners, management and employees of the Farm Service Cooperative facility at Harlan, Iowa, are committed to the prevention of any accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia.  All applicable procedures of the ANSI K-61.1- "Safe Requirements for the Storage and Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia" as adopted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture are adhered to.  If an accidental release should occur, this facility is prepared to work with the local fire department and other authorities, to mitigate any release and minimize the impact of the release to people and the environment. 
 
2.  The facility at Harlan is in the business of selling anhydrous ammonia to farm customers as a form of nitrogen fertilizer.  Anhydrous ammonia is received, stored, and distributed for direct application as a crop production nutrient.  This facility has one storage tank with a capacity of 140,196 pounds.  This location includes t 
he storage tank, nurse tanks, nurse tank filling stations and anhydrous ammonia safety equipment. 
 
3.  The worst case release scenario would be the release of the total contents of the storage tank released as a gas over 10 minutes.  The maximum quantity released would be 140,196 pounds, which represents the volume of the storage tank at 85 percent capacity as limited by design standards.  The distance to endpoint (point of dispersion to 200ppm) is 1.10 miles.  This tank is located in an urban area. 
 
The alternative release scenario based on the most likely potential incident is a release from a break in the transfer hose.  The distance to the endpoint (point of dispersion to 200 ppm) is 0.41 miles.                               
 
Mitigation measures used to limit the distances for each reported scenario include the use of excess flow valves, emergency shutdown systems, relief valves, check valves, and manual shutoffs.   
 
4.  This facility has implemented the provisions of "Safety Req 
uirements for the Storage and Handling of Anhydrous 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.  There have been no accidental releases of anhydrous ammonia in the past five years that resulted in any deaths, injuries or significant property damage at this facility.   
 
6.  This facility has a written emergency action plan, in accordance with OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.38.  We have provided state and local authorities the emergency planning and community right-to-know information as required under SARA Title III (EPCRA).  We also have a written emergency response program, in accordance with OSHA standard, 29 CFR 1910.120, including pre-emergency planning and employee training. 
 
7.  Safety improvement is an on-going process at this facility.  Periodic evaluations are performed to assess the maintenance of s 
afe conditions.  There are no additional specific anhydrous ammonia safety recommendations for implementation at this time.
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