San Francisco-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to a settlement of $23,000 with Pappas & Co., which operates produce farming and packing and shipping facilities west of Mendota, for failing to submit and update federal risk management plans for its anhydrous ammonia process at two of its plants. The agency reported that Pappas submitted a risk management plan three years after bringing more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia into its facility, and failed to submit a five-year updated plan for another facility. Pappas will also donate a hand-held ammonia detector to the fire department with jurisdiction over the facilities and install an ammonia sensor outside the facility in question for detection of toxic releases, which will better protect staff and neighbors, including a school across the street. This sensor will be equipped with an automatic dialer to alert the company and the fire department of any significant ammonia releases. In addition, Pappas must employ a third-party refrigeration contractor that will automatically receive notification of an ammonia release and inform the appropriate emergency responders and facility managers. EPA requires facilities to update and resubmit their risk management plan at least once every five years.
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