Mt. Jackson, Va.-Vandalism is being blamed for an incident Aug. 3 at Valley Fertilizer & Chemical Co. Inc., where 20,000 gallons of 32 percent nitrogen leaking from a tank farm could have reached the Shenandoah River if it hadn’t been for the quick response by cleanup crews. “We don’t want to talk about what might have happened if it got into the river,” Valley Manager Orville Smoot told Green Markets. Smoot said Valley employees got on the scene immediately after he was alerted Sunday at noon by the police department that someone probably got into the area on Saturday and tampered with the valves on 10 of the 22 tanks in the compound. He said three of the tanks containing 10-34-0 didn’t leak, but the valves on the seven others with the 32 percent solution were removed. “Our dike would have held properly two of the tanks, but not all seven,” Smoot estimated. Fire companies responded from Edinburg, New Market, and Shenandoah County. Smoot didn’t know why anyone would want to tamper with the tanks, but said the matter is under investigation. The Shenandoah River is located about 4,000 yards from the Valley plant.
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