Monday, June 17, 2013

Tenn., other states have many stockpiles of chemical that led to deadly explosion in West, Tex.

We reported May 23 that at least 800,000 Americans in the U.S. live within a mile of fertilizer storage sites that house ammonium nitrate, like the one that exploded in West, Tex., killing 14 and injured more than 200 others. But which towns, and states, are most at risk? DTN The Progressive Farmer decided to delve a little deeper, and so far has received information from 17 states -- Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, Oregon, Kansas, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Wisconsin and Georgia.

Many of the stockpiles are found in small cities and towns, with the majority stored in the south and southwest, reports Todd Neeley of DTN. The largest number reported are stored in Tennessee, which has 86 locations. Twenty-four of those locations "stored between 499 tons and 4,999 tons -- about 18 to 147 times the amount of AN that ignited in West."
   
Texas has 70 sites that "have the potential to hold a total maximum daily amount between 55,960 tons and 309,604 tons, or an average of 799 tons to 4,423 tons of AN per facility," reports Neeley. Illinois has the most sites in the Midwest, with 29. Georgia has 28, Kentucky 22, Kansas 20, Oregon 14, and Indiana 12. Some states provided incomplete data, or reported having no locations. DTN's report did not include the names of towns where ammonium nitrate is stored. We suggest you check with your state agencies. (Read more)

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