In 2011 EPA inspected a national company that distributes ammonia and found several concerns that were eventually addressed in a settlement agreement. One of the business’s facilities is about a tenth of a mile from a residential neighborhood, and even closer to other public businesses. The way the facility was operating, according to EPA, if an ammonia leak occurred when the facility was un-staffed (the only time the facilities were staffed was during a transfer of NH3), a cloud of ammonia gas could have reached surrounding populated areas before emergency responders or neighbors detected it. EPA also alleged that the business failed to coordinate adequate emergency response plans with local emergency response agencies to ensure that the public would be protected in the event of a release of ammonia. The agreement requires the business to install some detection and alarm systems at facilities across the country, as well as train the responders. Here are the details of the settlement agreement regarding the detection and alarm system(s) being installed…