Davenport, Iowa — Agrium Inc.’s Crop Productions Services (CPS) is back with its plan to locate an anhydrous ammonia tank in the Long Grove area, and some residents are just as unhappy about it as they were the first time around. It’s the same location on five acres rezoned from agriculture preserve to agriculture service that CPS gave up on the day of a public hearing in September, presumably because of local opposition (GM Sept. 24, p. 10). The location is not for manufacturing but permits retail distribution. “They resubmitted late last month with a new site plan and a little more detail,” reported Brian McDonough, planning and development specialist with Scott County. “There will be a public hearing Nov. 20, and we’ve notified all those residing nearby, including personal heads-up in the form of telephone calls to about a half dozen people.” But it’s not sitting well with some of the neighbors, who are concerned about their family’s safety and feel that another ammonia tank isn’t necessary because of those located in Eldridge, DeWitt, and Dixon that sell the same anhydrous ammonia. CPS didn’t give a reason for its earlier withdrawal, but McDonough assumed that it was because there were surrounding residents, including six people – two of whom owned homes – who were expected to speak in opposition. The application requested that the site contain – in addition to the 30,000-gallon above-ground storage tank – one fill station, one above-ground scale, and one attendant station/utility station. The facility was to be open 120 days per year in both the spring and fall months.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain