U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Complaints Regarding 

Debris Management at the 

West, Texas, Fertilizer Plant 

Explosion Have Been Addressed 

Report No. 14-P-0123 February 24, 2014 

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Report Contributors: Roopa Batni 

 Steve Hanna 

 Tina Lovingood 

Abbreviations 

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

OIG Office of Inspector General 

POLREP Pollution Report 

TCEQ Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 

Cover photo:	 Damaged volumetric tanks and equipment at the Adair Grain Inc. Fertilizer 

Plant in West, Texas. (EPA photo) 

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 14-P-0123 

February 24, 2014 Office of Inspector General 

At a Glance 

Why We Did This Review 

The U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) 

Office of Inspector General 

received an anonymous hotline 

complaint about the EPA’s 

management of debris at the 

Adair Grain Inc. Fertilizer Plant 

explosion site in West, Texas, 

known as the West Fertilizer 

explosion. 

On April 17, 2013, an 

anhydrous ammonia explosion 

occurred at the plant, killing 

14 people and injuring about 

200. Local, state and federal 

law enforcement and response 

personnel responded. 

EPA Region 6 staff provided 

oversight of a responsible party 

removal action to address 

immediate threats from 

ammonium nitrate and 

anhydrous ammonia. Removal 

began April 17, 2013, and was 

completed May 3, 2013. 

Other removal activities were 

performed by the Texas 

Commission on Environmental 

Quality (TCEQ) with oversight 

by EPA Region 6. 

This report addresses the 

following EPA theme: 

Taking action on toxics and 

chemical safety. 

For further information, 

contact our public affairs office 

at (202) 566-2391. 

The full report is at: 

www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2014/ 

20140224-14-P-0123.pdf 

Complaints Regarding Debris Management 

at the West, Texas, Fertilizer Plant Explosion 

Have Been Addressed

 What We Found 

The hotline complaint alleged that debris was Debris from a fertilizer removed from the West Fertilizer explosion site plant explosion was moved and “dumped” onto two private properties across without EPA or TCEQ the road into two “enormous” piles and was knowledge but is being possibly hazardous. We substantiated that there managed. A water main 

were two debris piles, but they were not found to break existed under the 

be hazardous. EPA and TCEQ staff stated the debris but has been 

debris was moved onto the two properties addressed. The debris was 

without their knowledge by another federal found to be non-hazardous. 

agency. 

The hotline complaint also alleged that there was a leaking water main below the 

two debris piles, which could have been contaminated from seepage from the 

two piles. We substantiated this allegation. However, according to the 

Cottonwood Water Supply, which manages the water supply to the properties, 

the water main was disconnected after the explosion. We identified one issue 

associated with this allegation—the EPA Region 6 report of its response 

oversight activities at the West Fertilizer plant explosion incorrectly stated that the 

water main was managed by the city of West rather than Cottonwood Water 

Supply. In response to our concern, Region 6 corrected its report. 

Further, the hotline complaint alleged that there are no immediate plans by the 

EPA or TCEQ to address the two debris piles. We did not substantiate this 

allegation. TCEQ informed us that the sites were fenced off and that most debris 

has been disposed or recycled. 

Since EPA Region 6 staff have addressed the one concern we identified, 

regarding reference to the correct water supply company in the response 

oversight report, we make no recommendations. 
 

 

 

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL 

February 24, 2014 

MEMORANDUM 

SUBJECT:	 Complaints Regarding Debris Management at the West, Texas, 

Fertilizer Plant Explosion Have Been Addressed 

 Report No. 14-P-0123 

FROM:	 Arthur A. Elkins Jr. 

TO:	 Ron Curry, Regional Administrator 

 Region 6 

This is our report on the subject review conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of 

the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report contains findings identified by the 

OIG. This report represents the opinion of the OIG and does not necessarily represent the final 

EPA position. The Region 6 office responsible for the issues reviewed is the Superfund Division, 

Prevention and Response Branch. 

Because this report contains no recommendations, you are not required to respond to this 

report. However, if you submit a response, it will be posted on the OIG’s public website, 

along with our memorandum commenting on your response. Your response should be 

provided as an Adobe PDF file that complies with the accessibility requirements of 

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. The final response should not 

contain data that you do not want to be released to the public; if your response contains 

such data, you should identify the data for redaction or removal along with corresponding 

justification. We have no objections to the further release of this report to the public. We 

will post this report to our website at http://www.epa.gov/oig. 

If you or your staff have any questions regarding this report, please contact Assistant Inspector 

General for Program Evaluation Carolyn Copper at (202) 566-0829 or copper.carolyn@epa.gov, 

or Director for Land Cleanup and Waste Management Tina Lovingood at (202) 566-2906 or 

lovingood.tina@epa.gov. 
 

 

 

 

Purpose 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General 

received a complaint from an anonymous source that raised questions about the 

EPA’s management of debris from the explosion at the Adair Grain Inc. Fertilizer 

Plant in West, Texas. We examined the following allegations: 

	 Debris, possibly containing hazardous substances including pesticides and 

herbicides, was placed in large piles on two properties adjacent to the 

West fertilizer plant. 

	 Contamination from the two piles was potentially leaking into the local 

drinking water supply system through a broken water main directly 

beneath the two properties. 

	 There are no immediate plans by the Texas Commission on Environmental 

Quality (TCEQ) or EPA to address the piles and possible contamination. 

Background 

On April 17, 2013, a fire caused an anhydrous ammonia explosion at the 

Adair Grain Inc. Fertilizer Plant in West, Texas, known as the West Fertilizer 

explosion. The explosion caused multiple fires within a half-mile radius and 

resulted in 14 deaths and about 200 injuries. 

TCEQ and EPA Region 6 mobilized staff to the site to conduct air monitoring. 

The responsible Region 6 office was the Superfund Division, Prevention and 

Response Branch. Region 6 staff provided oversight of a responsible party 

removal action to address immediate threats from ammonium nitrate and 

anhydrous ammonia. This removal began April 17, 2013, and was completed 

May 3, 2013. According to Region 6 pollution reports1 (POLREPs), the EPA met 

with representatives of TCEQ and the West fertilizer plant to establish deadlines 

for site investigation activities and removal and disposal of existing hazardous 

materials. During the meeting, it was determined that TCEQ would provide 

oversight of removal activities, with Region 6 coordinating as needed to ensure 

the removal action was complete. According to Region 6 staff, in responses such 

as this one, its priority and objective is to coordinate with responding agencies 

and assist or lead in responding to the release of hazardous substances. 

Scope and Methodology 

We conducted our review from July 2013 to January 2014 in accordance with 

generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that 

we plan and perform our review to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to 

provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our 

1

 The National Contingency Plan (40 CFR 300.135(m)) requires the On-Scene Coordinator to document emergency 

response actions in pollution reports. 

14-P-0123 1 
 

 

objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for 

our findings and conclusions based on our objectives. 

To make a determination on the allegations, we interviewed staff in EPA 

Region 6, the TCEQ and local water supply agencies. We reviewed 

documentation on the EPA’s POLREP for the incident, TCEQ documents on 

debris removal, information on the city of West’s website, and other public 

Internet documents on the explosion. 

Review Results 

EPA Region 6 and TCEQ staff confirmed that debris had been moved from the 

explosion site and placed on two private properties located across the road from 

the plant. Region 6 and TCEQ staff said the debris was placed on these properties 

without their knowledge by another federal agency. TCEQ staff further stated that 

fencing had been placed around the two properties and the debris was determined 

to be non-hazardous. Region 6 staff stated that TCEQ would oversee removal of 

the debris at the two properties by the responsible party contractor. 

 Example of residential damage from the explosion. (EPA photo) 

TCEQ staff confirmed they were aware of the broken water main and had been 

informed that the system was holding pressure—an indication of system integrity. 

They indicated the city of West operated the water system. City staff informed us 

that they do not supply water to the two sites in question and referred us to 

Cottonwood Water Supply. Staff at Cottonwood said they were aware of the 

break in their water main and the water main in question was disconnected after 

the explosion. They further stated that they perform daily monitoring. However, 

we noted that in a discussion of a broken water main associated with debris piles, 

14-P-0123 2 
 

 

 

the EPA Region 6 POLREP referred to the city of West and did not reference 

Cottonwood Water Supply. TCEQ staff confirmed they mistakenly referred to the 

city of West water supply system rather than the Cottonwood system. EPA 

Region 6 staff have corrected the POLREP to indicate the water main is under the 

jurisdiction of Cottonwood Water Supply. 

According to TCEQ staff, debris removal at the two properties is complete. The 

debris removed was tested, found to be non-hazardous, and was appropriately 

recycled or disposed. 

Since EPA Region 6 staff have addressed the one issue we identified by 

correcting the reference to the water supply company in its response oversight 

report, we make no recommendations. 

14-P-0123 3 
 

 

Appendix A 

Distribution 

Office of the Administrator 

Regional Administrator, Region 6 

Agency Follow-Up Official (the CFO) 

Agency Follow-Up Coordinator 

General Counsel 

Associate Administrator for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations 

Associate Administrator for External Affairs and Environmental Education 

Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 6 

Audit Follow-Up Coordinator, Region 6 

14-P-0123 4