CRSReportforCongressPreparedforMembersandCommitteesofCongressRegulationofFertilizers:AmmoniumNitrateandAnhydrousAmmoniaDanaA.SheaSpecialistinScienceandTechnologyPolicyLinda-JoSchierowSpecialistinEnvironmentalPolicyScottSzymenderaAnalystinDisabilityPolicyMay14,2013CongressionalResearchService7-5700www.crs.govR43070RegulationofFertilizers:AmmoniumNitrateandAnhydrousAmmoniaCongressionalResearchServiceSummaryTheexplosiononApril17,2013,attheWestFertilizerCompanyfertilizerdistributionfacilityinWest,TX,hasledtoquestionsabouttheoversightandregulationofagriculturalfertilizer.Facilitiesholdingchemicalsmustcomplywithregulationsattemptingtoensureoccupationalsafety,environmentalprotection,andhomelandsecurity.Inadditiontofederalregulationrequiringreportingandplanningforammoniumnitrateandanhydrousammonia,moststateandsomelocalgovernmentshavelawsandregulationsregardingthehandlingofeitherorbothofthesechemicals.TheWestFertilizerCompanypossessedavarietyofagriculturalchemicalsatitsretailfacility,butpolicyinteresthasfocusedontwochemicals:ammoniumnitrateandanhydrousammonia.Ammoniumnitrateisasolidthatisprimarilyusedasafertilizerwhoseusegenerallyoccurswithoutincident.Incombinationwithafuelsourceandcertainconditions,suchasaddedheatorshock,confinement,orcontamination,ammoniumnitratecanposeanexplosionhazard.Suchaccidentshaverarelyoccurred,buthavehistoricallyhadhighimpacts.Forexample,theammoniumnitrateexplosionin1947inTexasCity,TX,wheretwoshipscarryingammoniumnitratecaughtfireandexploded,destroyedtheentiredockarea,includingnumerousoiltanks,dwellings,andbusinessbuildings.Thebombusedin1995toattacktheMurrahFederalBuildingcontainedammoniumnitrateasacomponentofitsexplosives.Anhydrousammoniahasavarietyofuses,includingasanagriculturalfertilizer.Manyagriculturalretailersstoreanduseanhydrousammonia.Incontrastwithammoniumnitrate,anhydrousammoniaisagasmoregenerallyviewedasathreatfromitsinhalationtoxicity.Itisregulatedtopreventreleaseofthechemicalintotheatmospherewhereitmighttravelasacloudandimpactworkersandthesurroundingenvironment.Variousfederal,state,andlocalagenciescollectmission-relevantinformationaboutchemicalholdings.TheWestfacilityhadreportedlynotcompliedwithallrelevantandapplicableregulatoryrequirements.Forexample,thefacilityreportedlyhadnotcontactedtheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS),whichshouldhavereceivedinformationaboutanyammoniumnitrateoranhydrousammoniastoredatthefacility.Theextenttowhichagenciessharedrelevantinformationaboutchemicalholdingsinordertoenableeffectiveregulatoryoversightisstillunresolved.AscongressionalpolicymakersconsidertheramificationsoftheexplosioninWest,TX,theymayfaceseveralpolicyissues.Thesepolicyissuesincludethe:•challengesarisingfromrelyingonreportingofchemicalinventoriesbyregulatedfacilities;•potentialforomissionandduplicationinexistingregulatoryreporting;•longintervalsbetweeninspectionatmanysuchfacilities;•abilityoffederal,state,andlocalgovernmentagenciestoshareinformationeffectivelyamongthemselves;and•publicandfirst-responderaccesstoregulatoryinformation.RegulationofFertilizers:AmmoniumNitrateandAnhydrousAmmoniaCongressionalResearchServiceContentsIntroduction......................................................................................................................................1AmmoniumNitrate................................................................
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