PIPELINE SABOTAGE PROMPTS STEPS TO PREVENT A REPEAT

TAMPA - Hillsborough County's biggest ammonia leak is history, and
emergency officials vowed Tuesday they would do what they could to make
sure that scary record is never broken.

A man who deputies say was looking for raw materials to manufacture
methamphetamine tapped into a pipeline carrying deadly anhydrous ammonia
from Tampa to Polk County. The chemical is used in fertilizer processing.
The resulting leak near Lithia- Pinecrest Road and FishHawk Boulevard sent
60 tons of the toxic gas into the air, spreading to a subdivision, shutting
down two schools and killing trees and wildlife.

In a system that's designed to deal with accidental leaks, "This situation
kind of hits a hole that's hard to fix," Ron Rogers, special operations
chief for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, said.

But emergency officials said they have started taking steps to prevent a
repeat. Stronger chains and locks have been placed on the pipeline's valve
boxes, and the location of the boxes will be mapped. According to published
reports, no single map now shows the pipeline's entire route.

Training for students and school officials on how to take shelter inside
schools will continue. And within a year, a special additive may be
available to make the piped ammonia useless to drugmakers.

Authorities have arrested Richard Erick Hansen Jr., 29, of Valrico. He has
been indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of attempting to possess
anhydrous ammonia.

Tuesday, about 50 residents turned out at Newsome High School to hear what
is being done to prevent a repeat - and to give their own suggestions.

"Why don't we just consider shutting the pipeline down" and trucking the
ammonia, said Byron Dean of Brandon.

Wade DeHate, division chief for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, said that
despite the potential for vandalism, pipelines are much safer.

One resident pointed out that many subdivisions along the pipeline's 30-
mile route have no rear exit, leaving one way out if disaster strikes.

"That's a perfect example of when shelter-in-place would be called for,"
Rogers said.

The pipeline owner, Tampa Bay Pipeline, has reimbursed the county for the
$27,000 cost of fighting the leak, Rogers said.

Others said pipeline workers should patrol the pipeline 24 hours a day to
deter vandals.

Workers check the pipe frequently, but an around-the-clock patrol would be
impossible, said Glenn Howell, company general manager.

Overall, few residents pointed fingers. Larry McLendon of FishHawk Trails
drew applause when he commended firefighters for quickly and aggressively
squelching the toxic plume.

"I hope we'll come up with some better ways to make sure this doesn't
happen again but I think ... you did a great job."