EPA Region 7 issued an administrative compliance order to the Kennett retail facility in July 2010, after an inspection noted eight violations of the chemical risk management program regulations contained in the federal Clean Air Act.
Ag Distributors failed to establish and implement maintenance procedures to ensure the ongoing integrity of its anhydrous ammonia process equipment, and failed to document that the equipment complied with recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices, among other violations.
The Ag Distributors facility is subject to the risk management program regulations because it uses, stores, manufactures or handles the on-site movement of 10,000 pounds or more of anhydrous ammonia in its fertilizer production process, the agreement says.
EPA said facilities like Ag Distributors that mix or blend fertilizers using anhydrous ammonia, but which do not sell anhydrous ammonia directly to farmers, must implement the most stringent type of risk management program, known as the program 3 prevention program.
Ag Distributors failed to comply with the program 3 prevention program requirements, which require detailed safety precautions, preventative maintenance, operating procedures and employee training measures.
As part of its settlement with EPA, ADI Agronomy has certified that the Ag Distributors facility is now in compliance with the chemical risk management program regulations.
