[StBernard] Murphy Oil seeks to add 4 storage tanks

[Westley Annis]

Kansas crude oil spill during flood in Coffeyville, KS.  This area is in a
100 year flood plain.

 ""42,000 gallons of crude oil spilled from a flooded Kansas refinery"" 
""Environmental officials were planning to conduct sampling in the Verdigris
River, where a 42,000-gallon crude oil slick made its way Tuesday toward
Lake 
Oologah, a source of drinking water for the city of Tulsa."" 
""The oil spilled into the river during a flash flood that hit a refinery in

 
Coffeyville, Kan., late Sunday"

"

<http://www.kotv.com/news/local/story/?id=130727>

<http://www.sierratimes.com/rss/newswire.php?article=/news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20
070703/ap_on_re_us/flooding&time=1183436711&feed=us>


Its time the US EPA change the regulations and requirements for refinery and
chemical storage tanks that are allowed in flood plains.  Our own experience
with the crude oil spill in Chalmette brings several issues to light.  Even
if the refinery was in compliance with federal regulations, they did NOT
implement their hurricane preparedness plans. The Federal Regulations are
not adequate.  The tanks have been allowed too close to residential
neighborhoods.  Flood Plains will Flood and at times it will be
catastrophic; and this flooding will happen whether the EPA anti-spill plan
requires facilities to prevent inundation from catastrophic flooding or not.

It is most irresponsible for EPA, DEQ   and the refinery to expand the tank
farm in this flood zone.  The results are a given.  It is reckless of the
refinery to expand the tank farm, knowing the results.  Yet, it is not a
surprise that they justify their irresponsibility by claiming they are at
least in compliance.
SJK