necessary precautions.
“We’ve been working with the flammable liquids for a long time,” said Chris Lupold, Vestal’s fire inspector and an assistant chief with the volunteer fire department. “We’ve worked real closely with (the fuel companies) on how to handle situations there. Should something happen, we’re well prepared.”
The work is expected to be completed Oct. 1, according to Garay Fernando, a spokesman for Citgo. The company is adding the tanks to meet regulatory guidelines for refiners to install ethanol blending across a network of terminals.
Ethanol is commonly blended with gasoline to create a mixture that burns cleaner and more efficiently, officials said. The most common blend consists of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol. Newer “flex-fuel” cars can operate using 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
During a town board meeting at 7 p.m. today, town leaders will host a public hearing on Citgo’s request for an aquifer permit for the tank installation – something that’s required because of its proximity to water sources. Next, Citgo must get building permits and fire-safety permits.
Ethanol’s presence in the Southern Tier does mean a greater chance of hazard. The alcohol must be tanked in rather that sent by underground pipeline.
Since ethanol flames can’t be doused with water, the most important tool for fighting ethanol fires is alcohol-based foam. The town has a foam truck that’s equipped to battle ethanol fires. That truck was purchased a few years ago with money from special tax districts that are made up of the tank farms.
Each of Citgo’s new tanks will host a 4-inch pipe that allows firefighters to supply foam solution directly to the tank. Buckeye is paying for an on-site suppression system that will include an attached foam chamber. Firefighters have done extensive training in flammable liquids.