Commodity Flow Study

130 Pages·2009·17.28 MB·English

Commodity Flow Study

Lehigh and Northampton County

Prepared by Lehigh County Emergency Services
And Northampton County Emergency Management Services
November, 2009

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Commodity Flow Study

Lehigh and Northampton Counties

Lehigh County Northampton County

Lehigh County Exective Northampton County Executive
Donald T. Cunningham, Jr. John Stoffa

Director of Emergency Services Director of Emergency Management
Thomas Nervine Services
Robert F. Mateff, Sr.
Emergency Management Agency
640 West Hamilton Street Emergency Operations Center
8th Floor 100 Gracedale Avenue
Allentown, PA 18101 Nazareth, PA 18064
610-782-4600 610-746-3194

Road Side Date Tabulation
John Ott, Charles Zeppenfeld and Anthony Trinidad
Interns
Steven Miguel and Ryan M. Hay
Written and Editted by
William B. Hillanbrand and Forrest Weider
Table of Contents
Subject Pages

Title 1
Table of Contents 3
Purpose Statement 4
Study Methodology 5
Lehigh County Demographics and Transportation Summary 8
Northampton County Demographics and Transportation Summary 9
Lehigh and Northampton Counties Transportation Map 10
Lehigh and Northampton Counties Estimated Average Daily Traffic Map 12
Lehigh County Traffic Volume Map 14
Northampton County Traffic Volume Map 16
PEIRS – Lehigh County Hazardous Materials Incidents 18
PEIRS – Northampton County Hazardous Materials Incidents 38
Lehigh County Highway Study 49
Northampton County Highway Study 55
Lehigh County Railroad Study 62
Northampton County Railroad Study 66
Intermodal and Transloading Facilities 70
Lehigh and Northampton Counties Pipeline Study 72
Lehigh County Tier II Sites 74
Northampton County Tier II Sites 81
Lehigh County Above Ground Storage Tank Study 86
Northampton County Above Ground Storage Tank Study 103
Lehigh and Northampton Commercial Hazardous Waste Treatment, 126
Storage and Disposal
Northampton County Hazardous Waste Combustion Unit 127
Conclusion 128
Bibliography 129
Purpose Statement
Between 1999 and 2008, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) officials reported
almost 170,527 transportation incidents in the United States that resulted in an unintentional
release of hazardous materials, with 137 fatalities, 2,857 injuries and damages amounting to
$637,250,074.00. How can the Counties of Lehigh and Northampton assess the transportation
risks facing our community? Is the Lehigh Valley prepared to face these risks’?
The purpose of this document is to help local planners and emergency responders
develop a method to determine what hazardous materials are being transported through our
community and the priority areas of risk that warrant further analysis and study. By doing so, we
can assess and improve existing strategies to minimize risk (both public and private) and the
response capabilities within local jurisdictions.
In the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), Congress
recognized the risk to communities posed by the transportation of hazardous materials and
required that emergency response plans developed by the Local Emergency Planning Committee
(LEPC) identify the “routes likely to be used for the transportation of substances on the list of
extremely hazardous substances…”
One way to approach this requirement, and to address all of the hazardous materials
being transported through our community, is to conduct a hazardous materials commodity flow
study (CFS). A CFS is an assessment of the types and volumes of materials moving through the
Lehigh Valley community. For some communities, especially those in rural areas, transportation
may pose the only hazardous materials risk. In light of the number of accidents that occur,
identifying and understanding transportation related risks are critical components of emergency
preparedness and prevention. The goal of this CFS is to use the information collected to increase
our respective preparedness, prevention, and response capabilities.

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Study Methodology
A CFS is the hazards identification step of the transportation hazards analysis. A CFS is
the collection of existing and new data on transportation patterns in Lehigh and Northampton
Counties. Combined with accident histories, geography, and other local conditions, a CFS will
help characterize hazardous materials transport, identify locations of risk and other vulnerable
areas, and formulate emergency planning, prevention, and response measures.
Some specific objectives of performing the CFS are:
1. Identify major hazardous materials traffic corridors;
2. Characterize types of substances, shipment frequencies, container types, and container
capacities;
3. Specify the location, length, and nature of priority highways, rail tracks, and other routes;
4. Characterize any local terminals or other gathering areas for hazardous materials
transport vehicles such as truck stop and weigh stations; and
5. Compile data on any travel and route restrictions in effect for the region.
Conducting a CFS involves some methods different from those used for hazards
identification at fixed facilities. Instead of referring to information on conventional facility
reports such as Material Safety Data Sheets or Tier II Reports, planners will need to collect data
that may or may not be readily available from public or private sources. One must account for
different modes of transportation (e.g., railways, highways, pipelines, waterways), and develop
an estimate of the types and amounts of hazardous materials being transported in and throughout
Lehigh and Northampton County.
Priority risk areas can be found at the points of origin or destination of hazardous
materials, as well as at the intermediate locations. The focus of the CFS is on the general classes
of chemicals (e.g., flammables, corrosives), unless known large quantities of specific chemicals
are manufactured or stored in the area. Some areas will experience seasonal changes (e.g., a rural
community may experience an increased flow of fertilizers and pesticides during a portion of the
year) that should be evaluated separately from typical flows. Seasonal patterns may be easy to
determine for local industry, but keep in mind that such patterns will be extremely difficult to
track fro interstate traffic.
Reviewing all of the facilities Tier II reports and the amount of hazardous chemicals they
store, handle, or use annually will give planners an idea of the quantity and type of materials
transported through the Lehigh Valley. A fixed facility representative is able to provide a rough
estimate of the types and quantities of materials transported through these facilities.

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The Lehigh Valley’s accident history is another key point for information. Federal and
state agencies compile accident data that can be used to get a sense of what and where the
priority points are and what kind of accidents the Lehigh and Northampton Couties typically
faces. This information, along with knowledge of local conditions, help identify high-risk areas.
Commodity flow studies commonly involve a road-side placard survey. These surveys
identify what materials are being transported and also give an idea of the quantity involved.
Usually, these surveys last for a few days or weeks – observers note the number of trucks that
pass by, their placards, the time, and the type of container used. Although a great deal of effort
may be needed to make such a survey statistically accurate, even a modest program of field
observation can form a solid foundation for conducting transportation hazard analysis.
The Counties of Lehigh and Northampton have conducted hazards analyses to develop
and revise emergency response plans based on the specific hazards found at fixed facilities
within their respective jurisdictions. The hazard analysis process can also be applied to
transportation-related risk. It can be summarized in three basic steps:
1. Hazard identification pinpoints the location, quantity, storage conditions, and the
specific hazards posed by the hazardous chemicals transported, manufactured, stored,
processed, and used in the community.
2. Vulnerability analysis locates the geographical areas and the people, property, services,
and natural areas that may be affected by a release.
3. Risk analysis provides a basis for LEPCs to rank specific release scenarios or locations
based on the likelihood and severity of the release. The hazards analysis method separates
this into two steps, consequence analysis and risk analysis.
A commodity flow study is, in effect, the hazards identification step of the hazard
analysis process conducted for transportation-related hazards. Since the CFS has been
completed, we will have a good sense of what major categories of hazardous materials are
transported through the Lehigh Valley and what the priority areas are identified as transportation
hazards. Plotting the information on a map will provide a picture of where the hazardous
materials are and which are the major routes of concern for planning purposes.
Emergency responders and planners can use the vulnerability and risk analysis steps to
translate the results of the CFS into recommendations for revising emergency response plans and
determining specific preparedness, prevention, and response needs. This evaluation will help
answer important planning questions such as:
‐ Just how vulnerable is the Lehigh Valley to these risks?
‐ How can risks be reduced?
‐ How can accidents be prevented?
‐ What special populations are located near these priority routes?
‐ Are any of these routes marked by significant congestion at certain times of the day?

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‐ What is the response time of the closest Hazardous Materials Team?
‐ How accessible is the area to emergency vehicles?
Once the remaining steps in the hazard analysis have been completed, one can turn to
assessing the level of preparedness and revising of emergency response plans to reflect the
highest transportation-related risks.
After developing a realistic picture of the hazards that Lehigh and Northampton Counties
faces, planners can begin to re-evaluate prevention strategies. Are current measures appropriate?
Would traffic control on priority routes make a difference? Do accident records show a need for
driver safety training? Would commodity flow restrictions during severe weather alerts make
sense? The CFS may also point to a need for additional resources to increase the Lehigh Valley’s
level of preparedness (e.g., training, equipment, and on-going planning). Again, it is most
important to have general response capabilities, rather than trying to address every specific
chemical and/or transport route.

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Lehigh County Demographics
Lehigh County is located in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, which is bounded on the
north by Blue Mountain, a ridge of the Applachian mountain range with an altitude of 1,000 to
1,585 feet and on the south by South Mountain, a ridge of 500 to 1,000 feet. Adjacent counties
are Carbon County to the north; Northampton County to the northeast and east; Bucks County to
the Southeast; Montgomery County to the south; and Berks County and Schuylkill County to the
west. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 348 square miles, of
which, 347 square miles of it is land and 2 square miles of it is water.
The Census Bureau states that the 2008 population estimate for Lehigh County is
339,989, with a population density of 979 people per square mile. The major cities within the
county, Allentown has an estimated population of 107,294.
Lehigh County has 1,782 miles of roads. Main road arteries include Interstates 78 and
476 and U.S. Routes 22 and 222. Main local arteries include State Routes 29, 100, 143, 145, 309,
329, 378, 863, 873 and 987. All these routes carry extremely heavy truck traffic and provide a
constant potential for hazardous materials incidents. The highway, which has the heaviest flow
of traffic and the most accidents and fatalities, is U.S. Route 22.
Lehigh County has approximately miles of rail-affected area. Although there have
been accidents and derailments in the past, the incidents, in general, have been of a minor nature.
Lehigh County’s primary airport, Lehigh Valley International Airport is located three
miles northeast of Allentown in Hanover Township. The county is also served by Allentown
Queen City Municipal Airport, a two runway general aviation facility located off of Allentown’s
Lehigh Street. Average passenger traffic is approximately 80,000 per month. The Lehigh-
Northampton Airport Authority administers both Airports.
Pipelines service Lehigh County with the following companies that use pipelines to
transport various substances through the county: Buckeye Partners, L.P., Columbia Gas
Transmission, PPL Gas Utilities and Sunoco Pipeline, L.P. Pipelines are one of the safest
methods of transporting substances. The major causes of serious pipeline leaks occur from third
parties.
Although waterways are not used in Lehigh County to transport hazardous materials, and
thus will not be a part of this study, planners must remember that these waterways will add to the
spread of a hazardous materials spill within and beyond the County. Additionally, it will
complicate emergency activities when working to contain such spills. Lehigh County is in the
Delaware River watershed. While most of the county is drained by the Lehigh River and its
tributaries, the Schuylkill River also drains regions in the south of the county via the Perkiomen
Creek and the northwest via the Maiden Creek.

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Northampton County Demographics
Northampton County is located in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, while the northern edge
borders on the Poconos. The eastern section of the county borders the Delaware River, which
divides Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It is bordered on the west by Lehigh County,
Pennsylvania. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 377 square
miles, of which, 374 square miles of it is land and 4 square miles of it is water.
The Census Bureau states that the 2008 population estimate for Northampton County is
294,787, with a population density of 788 people per square mile. The two major cities within
the county, Bethlehem and Easton have estimated populations of 72,704 and 26,209 respectively.
Northampton County has always been a major crossroads of the nation, being some 80
miles due west of New York City and 60 miles due north of Philadelphia. Northampton County
has 1,959 miles of roads of which 501 are state highways. Main road arteries include Interstate
78 and Routes 22 and 33. Main local arteries include State Routes 191, 611, 378, 248, 946, 987,
145, 512, 329 and 412. All these routes carry extremely heavy truck traffic and provide a
constant potential for hazardous materials incidents. The highway, which has the heaviest flow
of traffic and the most accidents and fatalities, is U.S. Route 22. The stretch of US 22 from
Allentown to New Jersey is notorious statewide for its congestion and accidents. An especially
bad stretch occurs in the Easton City limits, locally known as "Cemetery Curve". It is not
uncommon to average an accident a week in that location.
Northampton County has approximately 25 miles of rail-affected area. Areas serviced by
rail include the cities of Bethlehem and Easton. Although there have been accidents and
derailments in the past, the incidents, in general, have been of a minor nature.
There are two airports which service Northampton County: Braden Airpark (Moyer
Aviation), located in Forks Township, and the Lehigh Valley International Airport, located in
Lehigh County and bordering Northampton County. Average passenger traffic is approximately
80,000 per month. The Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority administers both Airports.
Pipelines also service the county. The following are companies that use pipelines to
transport various substances through the county: Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Columbia Gas
Transmission, PPL Gas Utilities, PPL Interstate Energy Company. Pipelines are one of the
safest methods of transporting substances. The major causes of serious pipeline leaks occur from
third parties.
Although waterways are not used in Northampton County to transport hazardous
materials, and thus will not be a part of this study, planners must remember that these waterways
will add to the spread of a hazardous materials spill within and beyond the County. Additionally,
it will complicate emergency activities when working to contain such spills. Waterways that pass
through Northampton County include the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers.

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Lehigh and Northampton Counties Transportation Map

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