US: September 6, 2007


WASHINGTON - Mid-America Pipeline Company has agreed to pay a US$1 million criminal penalty for releasing ammonia into a Kansas creek that caused nearby residents to be evacuated and killed 25,000 fish, the US Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday.


A pipeline owned by the company ruptured in October 2004 near Kingman, Kansas, releasing 204,000 gallons of ammonia. The ammonia spread through 12 miles of Smoots Creek, with several endangered specifies among the fish killed.

Mid-America Pipeline, which is owned by Enterprise Products Partners L.P., failed to provide the government and local residents correct information about the size of the spill, delaying a proper emergency response, the EPA said.

The company reported that only 20 gallons of ammonia leaked into the creak, and did not reveal the correct volume amount of 204,000 gallons until six weeks after the spill.

"Failure to accurately report spills of toxic chemicals weakens EPA's ability to effectively respond to chemical incidents," said Granta Nakayama, EPA's assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance. "The company's negligence made the situation worse."

The ruptured pipeline created an ammonia vapor cloud 40 feet high, forcing residents to evacuate their homes. Ammonia is a highly corrosive, toxic and hazardous liquid, and can be fatal to humans if ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin, the EPA said.

The company pleaded guilty to negligently violating the federal clean water law. The US$1 million penalty will be paid into the government's trust fund that cleans up spills of crude oil and hazardous substances.


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