News

City’s Planning Commission approves a 30,000 gallon propane tank in city limits

By Scott Wagar

07/15/2014

Bottineau’s planning commission for the city council met on July 8 with the Bottineau Farmers Elevator to discuss granting a building permit for the elevator to place a 30,000 gallon propane tank on the corner of Fifth Street and Railroad Avenue to operate a dryer plant at that location. The request has brought some concern from a number of residents in town, along with the school district, which has one of its public school buildings one block north of where the propane tank will be situated.

The concern comes from the size of the tank and the chance of it possibly exploding within this residential neighborhood.

The school district has an additional concern because its school board has a bond issue coming up in August to construct additions to the school in the question, which will place all of its students in one location and under one roof. With the proposal, and having its entire student body in a location of a 30,000 gallon propane tank one block from the school, has staff, board members and parents worried.

In information granted to the Bottineau Courant, it shows why some residents have concerns over the propane tank being install in this area of the town. According to the documentation, if a 30,000 gallon propane tank exploded, creating a Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion, or BLEVE, most individuals and animals in an 800 feet radius would be killed. At .29 miles radius, the explosion would cause severe to irreparable damages, and death or serious injury within 60 seconds.

At .41 mile radius, severe to moderate damage would happen with infrastructure, and severe second and third degree burns would take place within 60 seconds. At .64 miles radius, moderate damage to broken glass would happen, with severe pain and burns in 60 seconds.

Evacuations would need to take place in a one mile radius, which is basically the entire town of Bottineau.

MEETING

Wayne Johnson, manager of the Bottineau Farmers Elevator, stated that when it comes to propane tanks, there is always a chance something hazardous could happen, but that the propane tank the elevator would be installing would have a number of safety precautions to reduce hazardous events and would also be fenced in.

Johnson was asked if the tank could be placed underground, but he informed the planning commission 30,000 gallon propane tanks cannot be buried.

At that time, the planning commission held a discussion and stated that the 30,000 gallon propane tank meets all requirement and regulations in the city.

It was also pointed out that the St. Andrew’s Health Center and Ferrell Gas already have similar propane tanks on their property, while the high school has a 1,000 gallon propane tank on the school’s grounds. And, the location where the elevator wants to place its dryer complex is a commercial property.

With the discussion over, the planning committee voted in favor of passing the permit for the Bottineau Farmers Elevator.
The planning committee is made up of Karsten Bartsch, Jim Dahle, Bob Bergman, Eric Nostdahl, Keith Fulsebakke, John Derr, Clayton Parrill and Duane Larson who is the extra territorial representative on the committee (presently, the committee is without one member and council member).

Source for Article: The Industry Standard Program used by Fire Departments for Emergency Chemical Release Modeling.