“Our investigation is still ongoing at this time,” a spokesperson for Union Pacific Railroad told Green Markets on May 25, with respect to some 30 st of ammonium nitrate that went missing on UP’s tracks between Dyno Nobel Inc.’s production facility in Cheyenne, Wyo., and Saltdale, Calif. “Union Pacific cannot comment on the details or status of an active investigation, other than to say that at this point in the investigation, we do not believe there is any criminal or malicious activity involved.”
According to a report submitted to the National Response Center made on May 10 by Dyno Nobel, the railcar left Wyoming on April 12 and arrived in California empty after a two-week journey. The railcar was sealed when it left the Dyno Nobel facility and those seals “were still intact,” when it arrived in California, according to the report, which was cited by The New York Times. “The initial assessment is that a leak through the bottom of the gate on the railcar may have developed in transit,” said the statement.
“We are continuing to conduct an exhaustive review of this matter, and that review is ongoing,” a Dyno Nobel spokesperson told Green Markets. “As a result of that process, we will implement any additional appropriate steps to ensure we are fulfilling our commitment to zero harm to the environment and the communities in which we operate.
“The chemical composition of the product is identical whether it is used for industrial or agricultural purposes,” the spokesperson added. “By itself, in pellet form, such a leak of small quantities over a large area would not create additional risks for the public or rail transport.”
Dyno Nobel sent the railcar back to Wyoming for further investigation, according to the Times, and said it had “limited control” of the train’s activity while the product was being transported.