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A new ban on shale drilling waste pits in Pennsylvania — and on federal land — could soon change the way waste from hydraulic fracturing is stored and disposed. According to a March 17 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently announced plans to ban temporary waste pits at shale gas well sites in the Marcellus and Utica shales. On March 20, the Obama administration announced a similar ban on these waste pits, prohibiting them from federally-owned lands. This will effectively ban the use of waste pits, a practice that has long been commonplace until

Two years after a serious flood in Colorado, the state’s Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) has instated stricter rules for the oil and gas facilities in floodplain lands. Coloradoan reports that the commission issued these rules on March 2nd despite the protests from the local oil and gas industries and some politicians, deeming them unnecessary. “The amount of oil that got into the floodwater was literally and figuratively a drop in the bucket compared to the trillions of gallons [of floodwater] that came through our county,” said Barbara Kirkmeyer, Weld County Commissioner. “The [previous] rules worked….You’re rewarding

Above ground storage tanks (ASTs) provide the backbone for several industries in the United States and beyond. Liquid fertilizer tanks, for example, hold in bulk the substances farmers depend on to grow their crops. ASTs store the oil both people and factories use, for automobiles and industrial purposes respectively. Steel storage tanks store the heavy (and toxic) industrial chemicals used to make countless products. ASTs even store the water we drink and many liquid based food products or ingredients we consume every day. This makes reputable stainless steel tank manufacturers critical to many industries. Depending on

The Andersons, Inc. recently announced its acquisition of Kay Flo Industries Crop Nutrient Group. The Kay Flo Industries acquisition comprises Nutra-Flo, PureGrade Liquid Fertilizer, MicroSolutions, and Nulex. The animal nutrient portions of Kay Flo were separated and not a part of the deal. With The Andersons’ plans to expand its wholesale and specialty fertilizer business, the Kay Flo Industries purchase is aligned with The Andersons’ strategy. Nutro-Flo alone is the leading American manufacturer of premium liquid starter fertilizers and a formulator of micronutrient enriched plant nutrients. Included in the purchase are three plant nutrient manufacturing and distribution assets of

Liquid fertilizer tanks are tightly regulated by the federal government. Federal environmental, health, safety, and security regulations can be daunting to comply with. Many proprietors of liquid fertilizer tanks (i.e. farmers) become frustrated when complying with them on their own. Fortunately, there are sources out there that help farmers with these regulations. One of them, ResponsibleAg Inc., is a non-profit organization founded last year that promotes the public welfare by assisting farms and agricultural businesses in complying with these rules. Any business that stores, handles, or sells fertilizer products can enroll in the ResponsibleAg Certification Program. The program lasts several years

The July 2015 CropLife Retail Facilities Report features an article on the new product of heated, insulated aboveground storage tanks offered by the Heartland Tank Companies. The article explains how these storage tanks, new to the liquid fertilizer industry, combat the negative effects of cold temperatures on some liquid fertilizers.     The Cold, Salty Problem Wholesalers and retailers experience issues with storing certain liquid fertilizers and starter fluids during the winter due to cold temperature effects. When an aboveground storage tank of 32% liquid nitrogen has an average internal temperature below thirty degrees, the product begins

Last April, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a law designed to reduce the algal blooms that severely disrupted the drinking water supply in Lake Erie last year. The Blade reports that Kasich signed the bill on the Lake Erie shore, a symbolic gesture which indicated the water crisis Ohio citizens faced last August, especially in Toledo. Toledo was hit the worst when dangerous levels of microcystis, a toxic cyanobacteria that produces algal blooms, were detected in nearby Lake Erie. More than 500,000 residents could not drink water from the city water supply, forcing them to rely on bottled water and

Steel storage tanks are the cornerstone of many industries in the United States. The manufacturing, agriculture, sanitation, and oil industries are just a small example of \industries that rely on above ground storage tanks. Above ground storage tanks (ASTs) have a wide range of sizes and shapes. Some are horizontal, bullet shaped tanks where others are round vertical tanks. Sizes range from 50 to 10 million gallons. Tanks that range up to 50,000-100,000 gallons are normally built in a steel tank manufacture’s shop whereas the larger tanks, normally round vertical in shape, are field-erected. The larger

Along with ringing in the New Year is the continuation of the agricultural conferences and trade shows throughout the country. Hosted by most state agribusiness associations, these conferences and shows host educational sessions and display the current and new products for the agriculture industry. Attending a local trade show is the best way for anyone in the business to stay current on new laws, techniques, and technology to succeed in their sector of the agriculture market. Heartland Tank Companies will attend all of these trade shows to inform attendees of its new product, heated and insulated

In today’s environment of safety consciousness and environmental concern, it would make sense that above ground storage tank owners would want assurances that their tanks are constructed in such a way that would prevent accidents and leaks. It would also make sense that state and local governments would want the same assurances. So when constructing a field erected tank, how do interested parties know that their above ground storage tank is built with safety in mind? Well, the answer is American Petroleum Institute (API) 650 Standard. Originally published in 1961, the standard establishes a consistent methodology for construction of