Hazard Vulnerability Assessment

Chemical - Fixed Facility

EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
ALEXANDER COUNTY

Emergency planning from the Alexander County Local Emergency Planning Committee is available for the following facilities determined by S.A.R.A. (Title III) to hold reportable quantities of extremely hazardous materials. This planning information is available through the Alexander County Office of Emergency Management.

The listing is as complete as possible as of June 5, 2003. The listing is only for facilities that have reported. Additional companies report under Title III, but none use extremely hazardous substances. Information regarding these facilities, as well as Tier II reports are available for inspection through the Alexander County Office of Emergency Management and the Alexander County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and are not part of this assessment.

Extremely hazardous substances (EHS), are those materials defined in Appendix A of the Federal Register, Volume 52, Entitlement is "The List of Extremely Hazardous Substances and Their Threshold Planning Quantities.  

Table HM1

Chemical - Transportation

General information index. Also see current hazmat mitigation measures.

Alexander County has U.S. Highways, North Carolina highways and secondary roads. The N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles estimates 2,500 commercial carriers every twenty four hours on the U.S. and NC Highway system alone, passing through Alexander County. A traffic count conducted (May 20, 2003) for a four hour period during a weekday, counted east and west bound, placarded, tractor trailer trucks carrying various forms of hazardous material on US 64. The number of trucks counted was 28. Using estimates mathematically calculated (6 periods of 4hrs each x 28 = 168 commercial carriers in 24 hours. It can be concluded by estimation, that approximately 7% of all commercial carriers in a twenty four hour period are carrying various forms of hazardous material. A relative few transport extremely hazardous substances.

Examining a one mile corridor along each major route, it has been determined that approximately 65% of the population of Alexander County (*34,867 x 65% = 22,663) or 22,663 persons live or work within one mile of at least one major highway. Alexander County's population is estimated to be 42,816 by 2010 and the population density in the one mile corridor is expected to increase. Keeping the same 65% population effected, by 2010 almost 30,000 people will live or work within the combined one mile transportation corridors defined below and outlined in the demographics portion of the County Emergency Operations Plan.

For the purposes of planning the vulnerability to this hazard is divided into two groups. Critical Facilities and Commercial and Residential structures. Each corridor is listed. There are overlaps in facilities and residential in each corridor.  Often highways intersect and or parallel one another.

It should be noted that while the overall area is high, the population in the corridor is high, and the potential for occurrence is high (See hazard matrix for rating), the potential to effect the entire population in each corridor is low. Hazardous materials spills or leaks generally do not effect areas larger than a one mile perimeter and one mile down wind.

Table HM 2

Highway System - Alexander County
US 64		NC 16
		NC 90
		NC 127
Hazmat - Transportation Corridor Maps
US 64	NC 16	NC 90	NC 127

Table HM3

US 64

Table HM 4

NC 16

Table HM5

NC 90

Table HM6

NC 127