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Anyhdrous Ammonia Info

New DOT Safety Advisory on Anhydrous Ammonia Transfer Hoses

Read a safety advisory issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), regarding anhydrous ammonia and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) hoses used to transfer materials from cargo tanks to storage tanks. The safety advisory is the result of hoses being used that are incompatible with the material. Please review this advisory carefully. DOT suggests the advisory be included in employee hazardous materials training and distributed to each employee responsible for the safe loading and unloading of LPG and ammonia

SP-13554 Incorporated Into DOT Regulations.

The Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), issued its long awaited final rule incorporating several long-standing special permits into the federal hazardous materials regulations. Special permit 13554, held by TFI on behalf of its members is now included into rulemaking. As a result of the final rule, nurse tanks with missing or illegible data plates enrolled in the NTIP and operating under SP-13554 will no longer need to be marked with the special permit number, but the requirements contained in the special permit for continued operation will still need to be met. That is, nurse tanks with missing or illegible data plates will still need to undergo the hydrostatic, visual, thickness testing and pass all inspections in order to remain in service. Although the tanks will no longer need to be marked with the SP-13554 sticker, once the tanks have passed the visual, thickness and pressure tests, it must be marked with the month and year the test was completed along with the corresponding tests passed such as V,T,P. NH3 nurse tanks that pass the visual thickness and pressure tests must then be permanently marked near the test and inspection markings with a unique owner's identification number in letters and numbers at least a half inch in height and width. Please carefully review the requirements contained in Section 173.315 (m) (1) and (2) for operating nurse tanks with missing or illegible dataplates.

NH3 Service Status Policy Information

The Minnesota Crop Production Retailers, the Minnesota Grain and Feed Association and the Cooperative Network met with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to discuss the Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) Service Status Policy. In 2007, the MDA, in cooperation with industry, developed an Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) Service Status Policy (“Policy”). This Policy provides desired industry compliance flexibility without undermining MDA’s regulatory and safety requirements. For whatever unknown reason, MDA inspections of equipment and storage facilities since 2007 have shown that the Policy has been seldom used.

While use of the Policy is not mandatory, it does provide clear benefits. These benefits are:

  • Equipment tagged as “out-of-service” are subject to limited inspection provided they meet all conditions of the Policy.
  • Equipment and storage facilities identified as “zero product/pressure” are generally not subject to inspection provided they meet all conditions of the Policy.
  • The Policy is recognized and honored by other NH3 enforcement agencies including the state and federal transportation departments and the Minnesota State Patrol.
  • The Policy establishes reasonable expectations of equipment and storage facilities, with an objective of preventing the use of out of compliance equipment and storage facilities, while at the same time not subjecting the equipment and facilities to full inspection and enforcement.

We strongly encourage all Minnesota NH3 equipment and storage facility owners and operators to adopt the use of the Policy.

Storage Facility Physical/Traffic and Tampering Protection Requirements

MDA webpage with access to information on storage permit requirements, storage guidelines & requirements, storage inspections forms & information, storage repair & service, and rules & statues addressing anhydrous ammonia storage.

Combined Anhydrous Ammonia Inspection Checklist & Driver's Vehicle Inspection Report

MCPR, along with other agricultural associations requested that the state agencies regulating anhydrous ammonia develop a single reference for the regulations. Staff from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the Minnesota State Patrol have combined efforts to develop an NH3 equipment inspection checklist and Driver's Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR).

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration - Cargo Tank Search

To use the search (link below) enter MN in the STATE BOX, check the EXEMPTIONS box at the bottom, and then click SEARCH FOR RECORDS. Once you have the results, click VIEW. Companies that have registered for DOT SP 13554 will list E-13554 in the EXEMPTION box.