Posted on 04/21/2013 11:22:36 AM PDT by OKRA2012
The West, Texas fertilizer plant where a powerful explosion killed at least 14 and injured dozens on Wednesday failed to disclose a massive ammount of ammonium nitrate ordinarily regulated by federal officials, according to Reuters.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security requires fertilizer plants and depots to disclose amounts of ammonium nitrate, which can be used to make a bomb, above 400 lbs. The West, Texas plant, West Fertilizer, reportedly held 270 tons of the substance, 1,350 times that limit.
(Excerpt) Read more at livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com ...
Let me just ask you this one simple question.
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Do you understand that this is simply an issue
as to whether or not the plant
submitted the proper paperwork
to the proper federal agency
and has absolutely NOTHING to do with the explosion?
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Or
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Do you like arguing just for the sake of arguing
Last I checked there were 76 replies. Not a one knew what the hell they were posting about. Most ammonium nitrate comes from Chile. Irrigation farmers and your household fertilizers mix it with water to apply. If you look at the ingredients in Miracle Grow it’s in there. It needs a double bump (precussion) to become an effective explosive otherwise it can burn harmlessly . Anhydrous Ammonia is is used as a fertilizer but reacts violently to water it is ammonia with the water removed.
So there is something totally wrong with this accusation....
In the safety regulation world of explosives or explosive nitrates, the state of Texas or by federal regulation, the facility could or should have been "sited" prior to storage for how much they can keep at their location at any one time.
It is called an explosive license for how much explosives for the facility or complex. Did the facility have an explosive license or did they not? Were they in compliance or not with that license? Or did they even need an explosive license? Based on the powerful mass detonation of the ammonia nitrate on hand, they should have had an explosive license if they did not.
No knucklehead, but I do like to make the point when I’m correct on what I am speaking about.
The plant had been there for many, many years. It was located north of town right on the railroad with easy access for farmers to get their fertilizer while in town while getting other supplies. The town grew north of downtown since the 70s, so the apartment complex, nursing home and middle school were all built after the plant had already been established.
Right. And apparently there are no regulations preventing putting a school or nursing home right next to it. But don’t drive by it with your gun in the car.
I agree with that. Why should they have to report, it's a factory, for crying out loud. It's a bit of a "DUH!" they have more than 400 lbs of the stuff on any given day. They should have 400 tons of it just to keep up with the demand.
I asked...
“...Do you understand...Or...do you like arguing...”
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You replied: “NO”.
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That does not compute.
It’s like being surprised a dynamite factory has a crate of dynamite. DUH!
That does not compute.
Sure it 'computes':
"No knucklehead, but ...."
I have been more patient with you.
You have demonstrated nothing more than illogical arguments.
I shall put you on “ignore” for future reference.
And if that's the case, then believe all the crap you want from them........Sheesh!
You do just that. Actually, I’m the only person I’ve seen on this thread who has had a working knowledge about the storage and handling of explosives....well over a decade.
One major reason we are overwhelmed with govt regulation is that industry will typically fail to regulate themselves. Executives refuse to spend money to do the right thing because it will impact their bonuses.
HIPAA exists because the healthcare industry wouldn’t spend the money to protect patient data. The govt added random audits, massive fines and more regulation because the industry largely ignored HIPAA laws.
This particular plant not only ignored regulations and laws, but they ignored common sense. Storing massive amounts of these chemicals when you have people living next door is criminal. The town leaders did the same by allowing homes to be built so close.
blah blah blah ...ignore
So the plant owners didn’t know the homes were there? They didn’t know that an explosion would likely destroy the immediate area?
Did they do anything to protect the surrounding people? Or did they just keep rolling the dice pretending nothing bad would ever happen?
The plant has been there for 60 years, built when it was nothing but countryside.
So let me throw the ball back into your court, why did the town's zoning laws allow neighborhods and schools and whatever be built within such close proximity to the plant?
Good question; doesn’t excuse the plant operators from their actions.
The town leaders mostly likely knew what was stored there but there’s a possibility they didn’t know the danger.
I didn’t say that. I said the people that handle this stuff are highly trained to handle this stuff. Maybe I should have said on a regular basis which would mean the plant staff. Where did i say fire fighters? And what’s this bs about do I have evidence?
The plant was always an established reality and part of its structure.
When the city began to grow north I am sure no one thought that it would blow up.
I am just telling you guys as a person who has spent some time in the town and I have friends who were raised there.
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