A plan for a 90,000‑gallon anhydrous tank has Buena Vista County taking a hard look at safety.
The Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing Tuesday on New Cooperative’s request to install the tank at 6135 South Highway 71, just outside Storm Lake’s city limits. The company recently purchased the site and says the tank would support seasonal fertilizer needs for area farmers.
Frank Huseman, the cooperative’s Fort Dodge-based operations manager, told supervisors the project must pass both state and county oversight before construction can begin.
Huseman said the tank is similar to long, horizontal pressure vessels used for propane or fertilizer storage. It was manufactured to heavy duty specifications and previously used at a facility in Florida. He emphasized that anhydrous ammonia is hazardous regardless of volume, and New Cooperative trains employees and works with local responders at all of its sites.
Buena Vista County Emergency Management Coordinator Amy Barritt also addressed the board. She said the size of the tank means the site would fall under federal Environmental Protection Agency Risk Management Program rules, requiring worst case and most likely scenario modeling, public information and coordination with local responders.
Barritt noted that Highway 71 is a concern because of heavy traffic and frequent accidents. Depending on wind direction and weather, a release could require shelter‑in‑place orders, evacuations or temporary highway closures.
Supervisors also discussed security, fencing and whether signage or speed limit adjustments might be needed near the site. Huseman said New Cooperative plans to lock valves, install cameras and likely gate the entrance.
He added that the company chose one large tank instead of several smaller ones to reduce the number of valves, fittings and potential leak points.
After closing the public hearing, supervisors voted to approve New Cooperative’s request. The company will now submit its full application to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, which must sign off before construction can begin. Huseman said that process typically takes three to four weeks, meaning work could start in early July.
