November 3, 1999
Emergency Response Plan Training Exercise Held October 30, 1999
On Saturday, October 30, 1999, Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc. , in cooperation with numerous law enforcement and emergency response agencies, sponsored a County-wide training exercise of Apache's emergency response plan. Among the participants were Fry Fire Department's Cochise County Hazmat Team, Benson Ambulance, Benson Hospital, Cochise County Sheriff's Department, American Red Cross, Cochise County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), Critical Air (helicopter ambulance), and RACES Radio Club. Local area newspaper reporters also attended. The exercise was staged as a real-life scenario with real-time response time for responders. Some neighbors were actually evacuated from their homes by the Sheriff's Department as part of the exercise. In addition, Alan and Nancy Dewey tested the Shelter-In -Place program for Apache as part of the exercise. The exercise was designed to allow participants to learn from their experiences and to be better prepared in the unlikely case of a real incident which affects Apache or its neighbors. During the exercise, participants practice what they know and identify areas for improvement. All of the participants had areas of success and areas in need of improvement. We certainly appreciate the enthusiasm of all the participants, and we appreciate the patience of our neighbors during the exercise. We will have more training exercises, both small and large, in the future as we continue to improve our preparedness. For questions regarding the exercise, please contact Cindi Byrns at 520-720-2114, Marty Moon at 520-720-2159, or Lyndon Denton at 520-720-2190.
EPA Risk Management Plan Community Information Meetings
In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, and because Apache is committed to keeping its neighbors well informed, Apache will schedule and announce in the very near future the dates, times and locations for several public meetings that will be held to describe and discuss the local implications of Apache's Risk Management Plan and a summary of Offsite Consequences Analysis. Apache has developed the RMP because the EPA requires that "an owner or operator of a stationary source that has more that a threshold quantity of a regulated substance in a process" must comply with 40 CFR Part 68, prior to June 21, 1999.
Apache meets the threshold quantity for Anhydrous Ammonia because we store over 10,000 pounds of the chemical at our facility. Our RMP was submitted prior to June 21, 1999 and on June 30, 1999, Apache received correspondence from the EPA which notified us that our RMP was "complete" according to EPA's completion check. The Notification confirms that the EPA acknowledges Apache provided at least the minimum amount of information required. The EPA will conduct a full review and will approve the plan as is or will recommend changes. Apache’s RMP provides general registration information, our accidental release prevention programs and our emergency planning programs. We look forward to the EPA’s review and anticipate a positive review. Upon receiving approval, we will announce and broadly distribute the date and times of the aforementioned meetings.
Apache Update Page 2
Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know (EPCRA) Information
On November 11, 1999, Mr. Steve Brittle of Don't Waste Arizona, Inc., will be a guest speaker at a regular meeting of the St. David Citizens Committee at 7:00 P.M. in the Recreation Room at the Apache Mobile Park in St. David. It is our understanding that Mr. Brittle will be providing information regarding EPCRA. Apache encourages all interested parties, including employees, neighbors, and area citizens to attend this meeting. It will be an opportunity for our community to learn more about citizen’s rights regarding emergency preparedness.
Production Capacities at Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc.
We have noticed a misunderstanding recently regarding the volume or quantity of our daily production. To clear up any confusion, we provide the following production information. The information assumes a typical day when all plants are operating at full production levels. One thing to remember is that although we make numerous products, we first make one product and then convert that product into another, therefore the quantities are not additive. What follows is a description of our process:
 | 285 tons per day of Anhydrous Ammonia, is received via rail cars from various parts of the United States, and is used as our basic feedstock. Anhydrous Ammonia is classified by the EPA as an extremely hazardous substance. |
| Of the 285 tons of Ammonia processed each day, about 144 tons is reacted in a continuous process with air to manufacture Nitrogen Dioxide. |
| The Nitrogen Dioxide is further reacted with air and then absorbed in water to make Nitric Acid. We make about 480 tons of Nitric Acid per day. Nitric Acid is classified by the EPA as an extremely hazardous substance, but does not have the gas release hazard that Ammonia has. |
| The 480 tons of Nitric Acid is reacted with the remaining 141 tons of Anhydrous Ammonia to make about 600 tons per day of Liquid Ammonium Nitrate (LAN). LAN is classified by the Department of Transportation as a hazardous material. It is manufactured at a concentration of 82% LAN and 18% water. |
| The LAN (600 tons per day) is utilized in one of three ways: |
| 320 tons per day has most of the water removed and the concentrated liquid is sprayed in the top of our prill tower, and then falls from the top and spins in an air stream to form a "prill" (small solid sphere). The Prilled Ammonium Nitrate (PAN) is shipped to area copper mines. |
| 120 tons per day of LAN is also shipped to area copper mines in its existing state. |
| 160 tons per day of LAN is either diluted with water to make a nitrogen fertilizer known as AN-20, or mixed with another fertilizer, UREA, to form a nitrogen fertilizer known as UAN-32. The total amount of nitrogen fertilizer made from the 160 tons of LAN is approximately 320 tons, which is shipped to agricultural markets in Arizona, California, and Mexico. |
In summary, each day we begin with Anhydrous Ammonia and end up with Liquid and Prilled Ammonium Nitrate, and nitrogen fertilizers. Through our process one product is converted into another and that product is converted into another, and so on. If you should have any questions regarding our operation please call us at 520-720-2190.