MID-COUNTY ENERGY
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Keeping fuel tanks clean
Quay Zander Petroleum Operations ( 952 ) 466-3727
quayz @ midcountyCo-op . com
Clogged filters , inefficiencies , and pollution . . . a dirty fuel tank can lead to all sorts of unpleasant problems .
A n d , because of fuel changes , the risk of a contaminated fuel tank is greater than in the past . A few years ago , for example , the Environmental Protection Agency phased in Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel ( ULSD ) for highway diesel fuel , to reduce exhaust emissions from these engines .
The new fuel is better for the environment , but it doesn ’ t kill microbes , these organisms sometimes will grow inside tanks . Older fuels had sulfur in them that would prevent microbes .
Proper tank maintenance , such as checking for water and sediment at www . midcountyCoop . com
the bottom of the tank , can help reduce the risk of contamination . Tanks that have been unused for long periods of time are more likely to develop an issue .
Using a high quality fuel is also important .
As of April 1 , 2011 , all of Mid- County ’ s premium diesel fuels contain a biocide to prevent microbial growth .
If a tank is contaminated , the best course of action is to find a reputable tank cleaning company . At Mid- County , we work with CamVacUSA in Burnsville , which utilizes fuel-safe camera and filtration technology .
To learn more about proper tank maintenance , call Mid-County Energy at ( 952 ) 466-3720 .
Petroleum spill prevention – It ’ s time to prepare a plan
As part of the Environmental Protection Agency ’ s petroleum spill prevention , control , and countermeasure ( SPCC ) program , many farmers are required to prepare and implement an SPCC plan .
Farms in operation before Aug . 16 , 2002 that do not have a plan , need to prepare one immediately , according to the SPCC rule amendments overview .
Farms that started operation after Aug . 16 , 2002 must prepare and use a plan before May 10 , 2013 .
Under SPCC , a farm is “ a facility on a tract of land devoted to the production of crops or raising of animals , including fish , which produced and sold or normally would have produced and sold , $ 1,000 or more of agricultural products during a year .”
SPCC only applies to farms that meet all of the following criteria :
• stores , transfers , uses , or consumes petroleum or petroleum products , such as diesel fuel , gasoline , lube petroleum , hydraulic petroleum , adjuvant petroleum , crop petroleum ,
vegetable petroleum , or animal fat ; and
• stores more than 1,320 US gallons in above-ground containers , or more than 42,000 US gallons in completely buried containers ; and
• could reasonably be expected to discharge petroleum to waters of the US or adjoining shorelines , such as interstate waters , and intrastate lakes , rivers , and streams .
To determine SPCC applicability , farmers only need to count containers of petroleum that have a storage capacity of 55 US gallons or more . Also , adjacent or non-adjacent parcels may be considered separate facilities for SPCC purposes .
All farms that meet SPCC criteria must develop an SPCC plan . Many farms will be able to self-certify their plans . However , farms that have a storage capacity of more than 10,000 gallons of petroleum , or have had a petroleum spill , may need to prepare an SPCC plan certified by a professional engineer ( PE ).
All SPCC plans need to include a detailed list of the farm ’ s petroleum containers , as well as a description of the procedures one would use to prevent petroleum spills , measures that have been installed to prevent petroleum from reaching water , measures one would use to contain and clean a petroleum spill to water , and a list of emergency contacts and first responders .
A few spill prevention measures that should be included in a farm ’ s SPCC plan include using containers suitable for the petroleum stored , periodically inspecting and testing pipes and containers , and providing secondary containment for bulk storage containers .
Plans should be updated as changes are made to the farm , or at least every five years . According to the SPCC fact sheet , the goal of the program is to prevent petroleum spills into water . Please contact us for more information at ( 952 ) 466-3720 .