Taygold Cooperative - Executive Summary

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The accidental release prevention and emergency response policies at our facility.This facility complies with the 1989 ANSI K 61.1 "Safety Requirements for the Storage and Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia".  In addition, it is our policy to adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws. 
 
Taygold Coop has a 'site safety coordinator'. The coordinator is given training to monitor the day to day safe work activities, maintain the required regulatory recordkeeping, conduct monthly safety meetings, and conduct employee training. 
 
A description of our facility and the regulated substances handled. This facility is a wholesale farm supply distribution center as such we store and distribute a wide variety of pesticides and fertilizers including Anhydrous Ammonia. Anhydrouse Ammonia is received by truck and 1, is handled and stored on-site. It is a regulated substance by the EPA requiring us to comply with the Risk Management Program. We sell anhydrous ammonia to grower customers in 1,000  
gallon nurse tanks. The customer applies the ammonia into the soil as a source of nitrogen fertilizer for growing agricultural crops. 
 
This facility maintains   43   1,000 - gallon tanks for customer delivery.  Our combined capacity in nurse tanks is 190,060 pounds.  Anhydrous ammonia is stored in 2 stationary storage tank(s) [1@ 26,000 gallon, 1@11,800 gallon] on site. 167076 pounds of anhydrous ammonia is the maximum storage capacity of stationary storage tanks. The largest storage vessel at this facility contains 114,920 pounds. 
 
The worst case scenario. 
Our worst case scenario is the loss of the total contents of the 11,800 and 26,000 gallon storage tanks when filled to the greatest amount allowed (85% of capacity), released as a gas over 10  minutes, resulting total vaporization. The maximum quantity released would be 138,580 pounds. According to RMP COMP modeling, the distance to the endpoint (point of dispersion to) is 4.4 miles. It should be noted that Taygold has never had a r 
elease of an entire stationary storage tank. 
 
Alternative Release scenario 
The most common alaternative release scenario(s) from our facility would not reach an end-point off-site. The alternative release scenario modeled for the purposes of this plan is a 2-minute release from a stationary storage tank representing a valve and hose failure requiring a manual shut down. The total amount of anhydrous ammonia released in this scenario would be 11,908 pounds. The distance to the endpoint is 0.50 miles. 
 
The most probable alternative release scenario for anhydrouse ammonia based on the five-year accident history (the most likely potential incident to reach an end point off-site) is the release of the tatal contents of a 1000 gallon nurse tank, (filled to 85% capacity = 850 actual gallons or 4,000 pounds) of ammonia due to a break or malfunction of a nurse tank valve or hose. The distance to the endpoint for this scenario is expected to be less than 0.42 miles. 
 
The general accidental relea 
se prevention program and chemical-specific prevention steps. 
The ammonia system is designed, installed and is maintained in accordance with ASTM standards and the ASME codes. The facility complies with the ANSI K 61.1 standards (1989(, OSHA (29 CFR 1910.11), EPA's Accidental Release Prevention Rule as well as all applicable federal, state and local codes and regulations. 
 
Our ammonia system is protected from major releases by internal excess flow valves, check valves, relief valves, manual shutoffs and emergency shutoff valves. The load-out risers used for the purpose of filling the nurse tanks are protected by excess flow valves and fill line breakaways to immediately stop the flow of ammonia if a line or a hose fails. All of the main storage tank valves and the riser load valves are locked when not in use. 
 
Our ammonia system is inspected on a regular basis with maintenance and preventive maintenance scheduled and documented. Liquid and vapor valves, hoses, excess flow valves, gauge 
s, and relief valves are replaced when necessary and/or according to the guidelines in the ANSI standards. 
 
Training is provided to all employees at least annually, whenever there is a change in the process or whenever competency with the regulations is questioned. Theh training consists of classroom lecture, current videos, testing and certification and on the job training. 
 
Five-year accident history. 
There has been no accidents involving anhydrous ammonia that caused deaths, injuries, property or environmental damage including evac;uations on or off-site. 
 
The emergency response program. 
In the event of an emergency involving our ammonia system, it is our policy to notify the local community fire department and request that they respond to the emergency. In preparation for this, we have coordinated with all of the local response agencies by providing information and facility tours to ensure that they are familiar with and properly prepared for an incident at our facility. This will  
help to  ensure that our community has the strategy for responding to and mitigating the threat posed by an ammonia release. This complies with the requirement for our facility to be included in the community emergency response plan prepared under EPCRA and coordinated with our LEPC. 
 
In addition, Taygold has an Emergency Response and Contingency Plan for each facility that complies with the requirements of OSHA (29 CFR 1910.38 and 1910.1200).The plan includes public notification, provisions for initial medical care, evacuations and LEPC coordination. 
 
Planned changes to improve safety. 
We do not plan to make any changes to the physical site. We will continue to provide our employees with ongoing annual training to ensure that they are current with all of the safe ammonia transfer and handling procedures, and provide regualr inspection and maintenance on all of the ammonia equipment.
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