EPA supports myRMP

Washington-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Aug. 14 notified The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) of its support for the Web-based myRMP program, developed cooperatively by TFI and the Asmark Institute to help agricultural retailers conduct required updates to risk management plans. EPA is recommending that retailers nationwide use myRMP. The program was launched Aug. 13 and is available for use by retailers across the country. “TFI has been a leader in retail RMP compliance assistance since EPA announced its rule, and we published a retail guidance document in 1998,” said TFI President Ford West. “We’ve had a nine-year track record on work on this rule and are pleased that EPA has recognized our industry’s work. The guidance will work to provide for more uniformity and consistency across the different regions of EPA.” myRMP was developed and launched in a Web-based format in the spring of 2006, with a special emphasis on education and personalizing the experience and materials to a specific facility. The program came as a result of EPA’s rule regarding the accident prevention provisions on the Clean Air Act of 1996, which requires facilities that handle anhydrous and aqua ammonia in threshold quantities to prepare a risk management plan (RMP). This plan consists of three major components: a hazard assessment, a prevention program, and an emergency response program in the event of a “worst case scenario” release of either product. “This new version of myRMP is very user-friendly and literally puts everything a retailer needs to effectively implement a RMP accident prevention program at their fingertips, all in one convenient suite,” said Asmark Institute President Allen Summers. “New technology was applied to further enhance several aspects of the new guidance tool, including the ability to personalize materials such as the written operating procedures.” EPA required a summary RMP to be submitted by June 21, 1999. A complete review and update is required every five years or whenever certain changes in the facility operation occur. The next five-year update will occur in June 2009, at which time it is expected that practically every retailer in the United States will access the new myRMP guidance for assistance with EPA’s requirements. There are approximately 14,000 RMP facilities in the United States, of which roughly 3,500 are considered to be agricultural retailers. EPA awarded Asmark a grant to make the necessary changes to myRMP to make it available to retailers nationwide. myRMP can be accessed via TFI’s Web site atwww.tfi.org and EPA’s Web site in the coming days.