128-546: On April 17, 2013, an ammonium nitrate explosion occurred at the West Fertilizer Company storage and distribution facility in West, Texas , United States (18 miles (29 km) north of Waco ), while emergency services personnel were responding to a fire at the facility. Fifteen people were killed, more than 160 were injured, and more than 150 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Investigators confirmed that ammonium nitrate
256-527: A runaway reaction , with the decomposition process becoming explosive. See § Disasters for details. Many ammonium nitrate disasters , with loss of lives, have occurred. The red–orange colour in an explosion cloud is due to nitrogen dioxide , a secondary reaction product. A number of crystalline phases of ammonium nitrate have been observed. The following occur under atmospheric pressure. The transition between β-rhombic to α-rhombic forms (at 32.3 °C) occurs at ambient temperature in many parts of
384-612: A 59-month audit period between 2002 and 2007. In May 2008, William Newell, Special Agent in charge of the Phoenix ATF Office, said: "When 90 percent-plus of the firearms recovered from these violent drug cartels are from a U.S. source, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to stem the illegal flow of these firearms to these thugs." According to the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General, "ATF told
512-524: A Congressional hearing raised several questions about the actions of ATF, USMS, USAO, and FBI HRT and the mishandling of intelligence at the USMS and FBI headquarters. The Ruby Ridge incident has become a lightning rod for legal activists within the gun rights community. On May 1, 1992, 50 ATF agents were summoned upon to provide extra support for local police departments in Los Angeles County in response to
640-399: A USMS surveillance team encountered Weaver, a friend and family members on a trail near the cabin, resulting in a shootout that killed US Marshal Bill Degan, Weaver's son Samuel, and Weaver's pet dog. FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) members surrounded the cabin. The next day, HRT sniper Lon Horiuchi fired at Weaver, missing and killing Weaver's wife. A subsequent Department of Justice review and
768-479: A bank robber. At his later trial, the gun charges were determined to be entrapment and Weaver was acquitted. However, Weaver missed a February 20, 1991, court date because U.S. Probation Officer Richins mistakenly told Weaver that the trial date was March 20, and the US Marshals Service (USMS) was charged with bringing Weaver in. Weaver remained with his family in their mountain top cabin. On August 21, 1992,
896-479: A bureau, consists of several different groups that each have their own respective role, commanded by a director. Special Agents are empowered to conduct criminal investigations, defend the United States against international and domestic terrorism, and work with state and local police officers to reduce violent crime on a national level. ATF Special Agents may carry firearms, serve warrants and subpoenas issued under
1024-440: A cadre of approximately 150 highly trained explosive experts known as Certified Explosives Specialists (CES). ATF/CES Agents are trained as experts regarding Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's), as well as commercial explosives. ATF Agents work closely with state and local Bomb Disposal Units (bomb squads) within the United States. A list of ATF directors since becoming a Bureau on July 1, 1972: Some media outlets have criticized
1152-461: A class of 24 student trainees. Industry Operations Investigator Basic Training (IOIBT) is a comprehensive 10-week program designed to train newly hired industry operations investigators (IOI) in the basic knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to effectively conduct inspections of firearms and explosives licensees and permittees, as well as provide assistance to other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies. Successful completion of IOIBT
1280-400: A confined space. The resulting heat and pressure from decomposition increases the sensitivity to detonation and increases the speed of decomposition. Detonation may occur at 80 atmospheres . Contamination can reduce this to 20 atmospheres. Ammonium nitrate has a critical relative humidity of 59.4% at 30 °C. At higher humidity it will absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Therefore, it
1408-472: A crust on the ground or in conjunction with other nitrate, iodate , and halide minerals . Ammonium nitrate was mined there until the Haber–Bosch process made it possible to synthesize nitrates from atmospheric nitrogen, thus rendering nitrate mining obsolete. The industrial production of ammonium nitrate entails the acid-base reaction of ammonia with nitric acid : The ammonia required for this process
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#17329090447671536-463: A detailed series of Single Scope Background Investigations (SSBI). ATF Special Agents consistently rank at the top or near the top of all federal agencies in cases referred for prosecution, arrests made, and average time per defendant on an annual basis. Special Agents currently comprise around 2,400 of the Agency's approximately 5,000 personnel. Industry Operations Investigators (IOIs) are the backbone of
1664-446: A fenced perimeter. It installed a surveillance system in 2009 after law enforcement recommended they do so. In an emergency planning report filed with the EPA in 2011, company officials said the anhydrous ammonia storage tanks did not represent a significant fire or explosion hazard. Indeed, the tanks were still intact following the nearby fire and explosion. According to its last filing with
1792-504: A fine. OSHA officials said the facility was not on their "National Emphasis Plan" for chemical plant inspections, because it was considered to be an exempt "retail facility" under an interpretation of OSHA's Process Safety Management standard, the plant had no record of a major accident, and the Environmental Protection Agency did not consider it a major risk. After a complaint in 2006 about an ammonia smell coming from
1920-400: A firearm or explosive, as well as investigative authority over regulatory referrals and cigarette smuggling . All ATF Special Agents require a Top Secret (TS) security clearance, and in many instances, need a higher level, TS/SCI/SAP (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information/Special Access Programs) clearance. In order to get a security clearance, all potential ATF Special Agents must pass
2048-463: A fraction of said activity had occurred at a gun store instead, the store would have promptly and swiftly been shut down by the ATF, but that the ATF is not held to the same standards that they hold FFL's, "You have to wonder what the ATF would say about a private facility that was ripped off for years on end by its own staffers and still failed to implement serious security measures after the fact. I expect that
2176-412: A major disaster declaration for West. In 2015, David Schechter of WFAA-TV created a news documentary, titled Rise Up, West: Recovery Starts on the 50-Yard Line , about the plant's explosion. Schechter's piece won an Edward R. Murrow Award . The state fire marshal department said that investigators interviewed "almost 300 people," and followed 160 leads in their initial investigation. In May 2013,
2304-483: A national response team—including fire investigators, explosive experts, chemists, and canine units—to investigate the site. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board , an independent federal agency that investigates accidents involving industrial chemicals, also dispatched a major investigation team to West to begin searching for the cause of the disaster. Urban Search and Rescue Texas Task Force 1 and Texas Task Force 2 Urban Search and Rescue deployed on
2432-466: A pilot program that ATF was planning to apply throughout the country. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ATF agents visited a gun show's customers' homes a week after the show, demanding to see the buyers' guns or sale paperwork and arresting those who could not—or would not—comply. A September 2008 report by the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General determined that 76 firearms and 418 laptop computers were lost, stolen, or missing from ATF, after
2560-540: A rail car as possible causes. In May 2016, the ATF announced that they had determined the fire had been deliberately set. This finding is widely disputed, however; there were no named suspects or arrests made, leading to legal and forensic experts criticizing the ATF investigation. The massive explosion obliterated the West Fertilizer Company plant and caused heavy damage and further destruction to surrounding areas. Numbers for people dead or injured varied initially. In addition to
2688-478: A second group of plaintiffs was expected to begin in late 2016. In January 2018, it was reported that the city of West will receive $ 10.44 million in settlements with defendants in the litigation around the plant explosion, the West City Council approved the settlement, which includes funds for damages not covered by insurance or grants from state or federal agencies. The lawsuit that the settlement pertains to,
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#17329090447672816-402: A statement on the evening of April 17: We are monitoring developments and gathering information as details continue to emerge about this incident. We have also mobilized state resources to help local authorities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of West, and the first responders on the scene. President Barack Obama issued his own statement on April 18: Today our prayers go out to
2944-483: A statement released alongside the report, the board's chair, Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso , stated: "The fire and explosion at West Fertilizer was preventable. It should never have occurred. It resulted from the failure of a company to take the necessary steps to avert a preventable fire and explosion and from the inability of federal, state and local regulatory agencies to identify a serious hazard and correct it." The CSB's yearlong investigation found that 1,351 facilities across
3072-699: A strong initiation charge. It should not be stored near high explosives or blasting agents. Molten ammonium nitrate is very sensitive to shock and detonation, particularly if it becomes contaminated with incompatible materials such as combustibles, flammable liquids, acids, chlorates, chlorides, sulfur, metals, charcoal and sawdust. Contact with certain substances such as chlorates , mineral acids and metal sulfides , can lead to vigorous or even violent decomposition capable of igniting nearby combustible material or detonating. Ammonium nitrate begins decomposition after melting, releasing NO x , HNO 3 , NH 3 and H 2 O . It should not be heated in
3200-575: A tremendous amount of injuries ... over 100 injuries at this time." Wilson did not confirm or deny an earlier report that the number of deaths could be in the range of 60 to 70. He said the blast zone was "just like the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City," comparing its effects to the Oklahoma City bombing , and that "50 to 75" homes and businesses were damaged. Sergeant William Patrick Swanton of
3328-767: A unit of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in 1920. It was made an independent agency within the Treasury Department in 1927, was transferred to the Justice Department in 1930, and became, briefly, a division of the FBI in 1933. When the Volstead Act , which established Prohibition in the United States , was repealed in December 1933, the Unit was transferred from the Department of Justice back to
3456-454: Is a salt , both the cation, NH + 4 , and the anion, NO − 3 , may take part in chemical reactions. Solid ammonium nitrate decomposes on heating. At temperatures below around 300 °C, the decomposition mainly produces nitrous oxide and water: At higher temperatures, the following reaction predominates. Both decomposition reactions are exothermic and their products are gas. Under certain conditions, this can lead to
3584-533: Is a mixture of 94% ammonium nitrate ("AN") and 6% fuel oil ("FO") widely used as a bulk industrial explosive . It is used in coal mining , quarrying , metal mining , and civil construction in undemanding applications where the advantages of ANFO's low cost, relative safety, and ease of use matter more than the benefits offered by conventional industrial explosives, such as water resistance, oxygen balance , high detonation velocity, and performance in small diameters. Ammonium nitrate-based explosives were used in
3712-529: Is an important fertilizer with NPK rating 34-0-0 (34% nitrogen). It is less concentrated than urea (46-0-0), giving ammonium nitrate a slight transportation disadvantage. Ammonium nitrate's advantage over urea is that it is more stable and does not rapidly lose nitrogen to the atmosphere. Ammonium nitrate readily forms explosive mixtures with varying properties when combined with explosives such as TNT or with fuels like aluminum powder or fuel oil. Examples of explosives containing ammonium nitrate include: ANFO
3840-512: Is artificially inflating ATF's eTrace statistics of U.S. origin guns seized in Mexico. One gun is alleged to be the weapon used by a Mexican national to murder Customs and Border Protection Agent Brian Terry on December 14, 2010. ATF and DOJ denied all allegations. After appearing at a Congressional Hearing, three supervisors of Fast and Furious (William G. McMahon, Newell, and David Voth) were reported as being transferred and promoted by ATF. ATF denied
3968-543: Is as a component of explosive mixtures used in mining, quarrying, and civil construction. It is the major constituent of ANFO , a popular industrial explosive which accounts for 80% of explosives used in North America; similar formulations have been used in improvised explosive devices . Many countries are phasing out its use in consumer applications due to concerns over its potential for misuse. Accidental ammonium nitrate explosions have killed thousands of people since
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4096-959: Is important to store ammonium nitrate in a tightly sealed container. Otherwise, it can coalesce into a large, solid mass. Ammonium nitrate can absorb enough moisture to liquefy. Blending ammonium nitrate with certain other fertilizers can lower the critical relative humidity. The potential for use of the material as an explosive has prompted regulatory measures. For example, in Australia, the Dangerous Goods Regulations came into effect in August 2005 to enforce licensing in dealing with such substances. Licenses are granted only to applicants (industry) with appropriate security measures in place to prevent any misuse. Additional uses such as education and research purposes may also be considered, but individual use will not. Employees of those with licenses to deal with
4224-760: Is mandatory in order for the newly hired IOI to maintain their employment. ATF's Special Response Teams (SRTs) are elite tactical groups that rapidly respond to high-risk law enforcement operations and conduct criminal investigations that lead to the arrests of the most violent criminals in the United States. Their work includes search and arrest warrants, high-risk criminal investigations, undercover operations, surveillance operations, and protective service operations. Team members are specially trained ATF special agents who may serve full or part time. They often serve in various roles such as crisis negotiators, team leaders, tactical operators, snipers, operator medics and canine handlers. Members of ATF special agent ranks are issued
4352-521: Is not explosive and that the ATF's regulations were unreasonable. The NAR and TRA won their lawsuit against the ATF in 2009, lifting the government restrictions. The associations maintain their own restrictions, and rocketry is also regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Between May 2004 and August 2005, ATF agents, in conjunction with Virginia state, county, and city police, conducted an operation at eight gun shows in
4480-669: Is obtained by the Haber process from nitrogen and hydrogen. Ammonia produced by the Haber process can be oxidized to nitric acid by the Ostwald process . Ammonia is used in its anhydrous form (a gas) and the nitric acid is concentrated. The reaction is violent owing to its highly exothermic nature. After the solution is formed, typically at about 83% concentration, the excess water is evaporated off to leave an ammonium nitrate (AN) content of 95% to 99.9% concentration (AN melt), depending on grade. The AN melt
4608-570: Is the Special Agent Basic Training (SABT), which is conducted at FLETC and covers a wide range of disciplines including firearms and ammunition identification; firearms trafficking; report writing, interviewing techniques; alcohol/tobacco diversion investigations; explosives and fire/arson investigations; firearms and tactical training, close quarter countermeasures; field operations, undercover techniques; and physical conditioning. The SABT consists of approximately 15 weeks of training with
4736-694: Is the branch of the ATF uses to dispose of firearms forfeited to the ATF. The report also stated that the ATF has improved its process to reduce thefts but that it still has not implemented all of the recommendations made by the DOJ. In 2023, federal Judge Reed O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas vacated the Bureau's attempt to expand the definition of a firearm frame or receiver. Judge O'Connor ruled ATF exceeded its statutory authority in attempting to redefine these terms and implement regulations of so-called "readily convertible" or "80% receiver" kits. In 2006,
4864-570: Is then made into "prills" or small beads in a spray tower , or into granules by spraying and tumbling in a rotating drum. The prills or granules may be further dried, cooled, and then coated to prevent caking. These prills or granules are the typical AN products in commerce. Another production method is a variant of the nitrophosphate process : The products, calcium carbonate and ammonium nitrate, may be separately purified or sold combined as calcium ammonium nitrate . Ammonium nitrate can also be made via metathesis reactions : As ammonium nitrate
4992-495: Is used in some instant cold packs , as its dissolution in water is highly endothermic . In 2021, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia conducted experiments to study the potential for dissolving ammonium nitrate in water for off-grid cooling systems and as a refrigerant. They suggested that the water could be distilled and reused using solar energy to avoid water wastage in severe environments. It
5120-461: The Waco Tribune-Herald that as of late evening, April 17, six or seven volunteer firefighters from the city were unaccounted for. West EMS Director Dr. George Smith, himself injured, said he believed at least two emergency responders were killed. "We do have confirmed fatalities," Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman D.L. Wilson said at a midnight news conference on April 17. "We have
5248-483: The ATF , is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevention of federal offenses involving the unlawful use, manufacture, and possession of firearms and explosives ; acts of arson and bombings ; and illegal trafficking and tax evasion of alcohol and tobacco products. The ATF also regulates via licensing
West Fertilizer Company explosion - Misplaced Pages Continue
5376-780: The Glock 19M as their primary duty weapon and are trained in the use of, and issued, certain rifles and shotguns. The ATF Special Response Team (SRT) is armed with Colt M4 carbines and other firearms. The ATF is organized as follows: The ATF has 26 field divisions across the nation in major cities. Those cities are: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus (OH), Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City (MO), Los Angeles, Louisville, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Paul, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. Also, there are field offices in different countries such as Canada, Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, Iraq, Lithuania, and in
5504-594: The Homeland Security Act of 2002 . In addition to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security , the law shifted ATF from the Department of the Treasury to the Department of Justice . The agency's name was changed to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. However, the agency still was referred to as "the ATF" for all purposes. Additionally, the task of collection of federal tax revenue derived from
5632-470: The National Rifle Association (NRA) contracted her to go to Richmond to investigate dozens of complaints by NRA members of "massive law enforcement presence, residence checks, and minority buyers being followed, pulled over and their legally purchased guns seized." The purchasers were compelled by an ATF letter to appear at ATF offices to explain and justify their purchases. ATF stated this was
5760-563: The National Rifle Association (NRA) lobbied U.S. Representative F. James Sensenbrenner to add a provision to the Patriot Act reauthorization that requires Senate confirmation of ATF director nominees. (Prior to that, ATF directors were simply appointed by the administration. ) After that, the NRA lobbied against and effectively blocked all but one presidential nominee until 2022. In 2007, President George W. Bush nominated Mike Sullivan for
5888-554: The Oppau explosion of 1921 (one of the largest artificial non-nuclear explosions ), the Texas City disaster of 1947, the 2015 Tianjin explosions in China, and the 2020 Beirut explosion . Ammonium nitrate can explode through two mechanisms: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( BATFE ), commonly referred to as
6016-554: The Ruby Ridge siege, the Waco siege and other incidents. The ATF was formerly part of the United States Department of the Treasury , having been formed in 1886 as the "Revenue Laboratory" within the Treasury Department's Bureau of Internal Revenue . The history of the ATF can be subsequently traced to the time of the revenuers or "revenoors" and the Bureau of Prohibition , which was formed as
6144-673: The Sterling Hall bombing in Madison, Wisconsin, 1970, the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the 2011 Delhi bombings , the 2011 bombing in Oslo , the Myyrmanni bombing and the 2013 Hyderabad blasts . In November 2009, the government of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan imposed a ban on ammonium sulfate , ammonium nitrate, and calcium ammonium nitrate fertilizers in
6272-632: The Texas Department of Public Safety instructed the Texas Rangers and the McLennan Sheriff's Department to join the Texas Fire Marshal's Office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in the criminal investigation into the explosion. Investigators blamed stocks of ammonium nitrate fertilizer stored in a bin inside a seed and fertilizer building on the property for
6400-408: The U.S. Department of Transportation 's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration further fined the facility $ 5,250 for violations regarding anhydrous ammonia storage. According to an open records request by Reuters , the plant had a long history of minor thefts, presumably by people wanting to use anhydrous ammonia to make methamphetamine . The facility lacked burglar alarms, or even
6528-624: The Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative , which expanded tracing of firearms recovered by law enforcement and the ongoing Comprehensive Crime Gun Tracing Initiative. ATF also provides support to state and local investigators through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program. In 2006, Congress made the ATF head subject to Senate confirmation and, until recently, only one nominee had not been blocked from heading
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#17329090447676656-437: The gases nitrous oxide and water vapor when heated. However, it can be induced to decompose explosively by detonation . Large stockpiles of the material can also be a major fire risk due to their supporting oxidation , a situation which can easily escalate to detonation. Explosions are not uncommon: relatively minor incidents occur most years, and several large and devastating explosions have also occurred. Examples include
6784-404: The safety data sheets available from suppliers and from various governments. Pure ammonium nitrate does not burn, but as a strong oxidizer, it supports and accelerates the combustion of organic (and some inorganic) material. It should not be stored near combustible substances. While ammonium nitrate is stable at ambient temperature and pressure under many conditions, it may detonate from
6912-438: The 15 deceased victims of the 2013 explosion. The memorial features a vertical stone wall with a narrative describing the event and its aftermath, and a circle of 15 stone markers (with one stone marker dedicated to each victim) arranged in a circle around a reflecting pool and fountain. The memorial was completed on land about 100 yards from where the fertilizer plant once stood, at a cost of approximately $ 300,000, most of which
7040-553: The ATF in the Senate. Steven Dettelbach became the second in July 2022 after being nominated by President Joe Biden. ATF's Comprehensive Crime Gun Tracing Initiative is the largest operation of its kind in the world. In FY07, ATF's National Tracing Center processed over 285,000 trace requests on guns for over 6,000 law enforcement agencies in 50 countries. ATF uses a Web-based system, known as eTrace , that provides law enforcement agencies with
7168-403: The ATF regulatory mission. Their work is primarily investigative and routinely involves contact with, and interviews of, individuals from all walks of life and all levels of industry and government. Investigations and inspections pertain to the industries and persons regulated by ATF (e.g., firearms and explosives users, dealers, importers, exporters, manufacturers, wholesalers, etc.); and are under
7296-547: The ATF, even going so far as to call for the abolition of the agency. One such criticism leveled by Reason magazine's J.D. Tuccille stated, "The nicest thing you can say about the ATF is that it's an unserious and unaccountable bureaucracy. Often it's explicitly contemptible, such as during the Fast-and-Furious gun-walking scandal , and its setting up mentally disabled youths to take the fall during gun-and-drug stings. After those abuses of individual rights and public trust,
7424-566: The Bureau of Internal Revenue was renamed " Internal Revenue Service " (IRS), and the ATU was given the additional responsibility of enforcing federal tobacco tax laws. At this time, the name of the ATU was changed to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division (ATTD). In 1968, with the passage of the Gun Control Act , the agency changed its name again, this time to the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Division of
7552-451: The Caribbean. ATF is responsible for regulating firearm commerce in the United States. The bureau issues Federal Firearms Licenses (FFL) to sellers and conducts firearms licensee inspections. The bureau is also involved in programs aimed at reducing gun violence in the United States , by targeting and arresting violent offenders who unlawfully possess firearms. ATF was also involved with
7680-649: The Democrats to confirm. Since 2001, ATF agents have recommended over 10,000 felons every year for federal prosecution for firearms possession through the Project Safe Neighborhoods framework. In PSN's first year, 2001–2002, over 7,700 of these cases resulted in convictions with an average sentence of over five years per defendant. This number had risen to over 12,000 prosecutions in FY 2007. The annual FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) demonstrated that from 2001 to 2010,
7808-463: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) be notified whenever anyone has more than one ton of ammonium nitrate on hand, or 400 pounds (180 kg) if the ammonium nitrate is combined with combustible material. The facility caught fire on Wednesday, April 17, 2013, and roughly 20 minutes after the fire was first reported to emergency dispatchers, the site exploded. At 7:50:38 p.m. CDT (00:50 UTC , April 18), as firefighters were attempting to douse
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#17329090447677936-519: The Department of the Treasury, where it became the Alcohol Tax Unit (ATU) of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Special Agent Eliot Ness and several members of The Untouchables , who had worked for the Prohibition Bureau while the Volstead Act was still in force, were transferred to the ATU. In 1942, responsibility for enforcing federal firearms laws was given to the ATU. In the early 1950s,
8064-424: The EPA in late 2012, the company stated that it stored 540,000 pounds (270 short tons; 240 t) of ammonium nitrate and 110,000 pounds (55 short tons; 50 t) of anhydrous ammonia on the site. A week after the explosion, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told Senate investigators that the company did not appear to have disclosed its ammonium nitrate stock to her department. Federal law requires that
8192-590: The IRS and first began to be referred to by the initials "ATF". In Title XI of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, Congress enacted the Explosives Control Act, 18 U.S.C.A. Chapter 40, which provided for close regulation of the explosives industry and designated certain arsons and bombings as federal crimes. The Secretary of the Treasury was made responsible for administering the regulatory aspects of
8320-615: The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which allows federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to image and compare crime gun evidence. NIBIN currently has 203 sites. In FY07, NIBIN's 174 partner agencies imaged more than 183,000 bullets and casings into the database, resulting in over 5,200 matches that provided investigative leads. With the passage of the Organized Crime Control Act (OCCA) in 1970, ATF took over
8448-726: The OIG that the 90-percent figure ... could be misleading because it applied only to the small portion of Mexican crime guns that are traced." Under operations "Fast and Furious" , "Too Hot to Handle", and "Wide Receiver", indictments show that the Phoenix ATF Office, over protests from the gun dealers and some ATF agents involved and without notifying Mexican authorities, facilitated the sale of over 2,500 firearms ( AK-47 rifles, FN 5.7mm pistols, and .50 caliber rifles) to traffickers destined for Mexico. Many of these same guns are being recovered from crime scenes in Arizona and throughout Mexico, which
8576-577: The Oklahoma City bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack in the history of the United States, and remains the deadliest incident of domestic terrorism in the country's history. McVeigh was executed for this mass murder by lethal injection on June 11, 2001, at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. The ATF was criticized for poor planning leading up to a shootout at Stevenson Ranch, California , in 2001, which resulted in
8704-479: The Richmond area to reduce straw purchases for criminals. In a February 2006 House subcommittee hearing, the show's owner said: "People were approached and discouraged from purchasing guns. Before attempting to purchase, they were interrogated and accused of being in the business without a license, detained in police vehicles, and gun buyer's homes were visited by police, and much more." A gun salesman testified that he
8832-670: The Special Agents and who are not officially part of the ATF roster. Basic special agent training for new hires consists of a two-part training program. The first part is the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia . The CITP provides fundamental training in the techniques, concepts, and methodologies of conducting criminal investigations. Some of
8960-421: The Treasury Department on July 1, 1972, this transferred the responsibilities of the ATF division of the IRS to the new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Rex D. Davis oversaw the transition, becoming the bureau's first director, having headed the division since 1970. During his tenure, Davis shepherded the organization into a new era where federal firearms and explosives laws addressing violent crime became
9088-481: The Waco Police Department said the operation has gone into a "search-and-rescue mode", aiming to find survivors and recover those who might be trapped in buildings. He said at least 160 people had been injured, and the firefighters who were combatting the initial fire were still unaccounted for. Swanton quoted local environmental officials and emergency personnel in saying there was no risk to the community from
9216-583: The Waco raid were reinstated, with full back pay and benefits (with a demotion) despite a Treasury Department report of gross negligence. The incident was removed from their personnel files. Timothy McVeigh cited Ruby Ridge and Waco Siege as his motivation for the Oklahoma City Bombing , which took place on April 19, 1995, exactly two years after the end of the Waco Siege. McVeigh's criterion for attack sites
9344-440: The West Fertilizer Company facility. On October 11, 2015, a day before jury selection was to begin, parties reached a partial settlement in one case. Its terms have not been disclosed. The settlement includes the families of the three civilians killed in the fire and explosion. This is separate from the $ 118,300 in fines that West Fertilizer was handed for violating several rules about the handling of hazardous materials. A trial for
9472-467: The abuses noted in the 1982 Senate Judiciary Subcommittee report. The Ruby Ridge Siege began in June 1990. Randy Weaver sold two unregistered short barrel shotguns to Kenneth Fadeley, an ATF informant. This transaction was recorded and presented to the court. Weaver refused to face his accusers and became a fugitive from justice. He maintained the barrels were a legal length, but after Fadeley took possession,
9600-499: The apprehension, upon technical malum prohibitum charges, of individuals who lack all criminal intent and knowledge. Evidence received demonstrated that ATF agents tended to concentrate upon collector's items rather than "criminal street guns". In hearings before ATF's Appropriations Subcommittee, testimony was submitted estimating that 75 percent of ATF gun prosecutions were aimed at ordinary citizens with no criminal intent. The Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 addressed some of
9728-462: The authority of the United States and make arrests without warrant for any offense against the United States committed in their presence, or for any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such felony 18 U.S.C. § 3051 . Specifically, ATF Special Agents have lead investigative authority on any federal crime committed with
9856-541: The bureau is retaliating but declined to comment about Cefalu's case. In 2015, a proposal by the ATF to prohibit sales of certain 5.56 x 45mm ammunition was dropped following a negative response from the public and the legislature. In 2022, the DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) conducted an audit which found that "thousands of firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition had been stolen from National Firearms and Ammunition Destruction (NFAD) from 2016 to 2019." The NFAD
9984-432: The capability to securely and electronically send trace requests, receive trace results, and conduct basic trace analysis in real time. Over 2,000 agencies and more than 17,000 individuals currently use eTrace, including over 33 foreign law enforcement agencies. Gun tracing provides information to federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies on the history of a firearm from the manufacturer (or importer), through
10112-521: The cases referred by ATF for prosecution each year are for firearms, violent crime, and narcotics offenses. Through the first half of 2011, ATF (with fewer than 2,000 active Special Agents) had recommended 5,203 cases for prosecution. This yields an average of 5.0 cases per agent per year. For comparison, the FBI (with slightly more than 13,000 active Special Agents) had recommended 8,819 cases for prosecution, for an average of 1.2 cases per agent per year. ATF, as
10240-507: The company's insurer, United States Fire Insurance of Morristown, New Jersey , the facility was only covered by $ 1 million in liability insurance . According to official estimates from both state and company officials, this amount did not even begin to cover the cost of damages. Furthermore, according to The Dallas Morning News , Texas law allows fertilizer storage facilities to operate without any liability insurance at all, even when they store hazardous materials. West Mayor Tommy Muska told
10368-478: The complex caught fire. The follow-up investigation revealed the bodies of seventy-six people including twenty children inside the compound. A grand jury found that the deaths were suicides or otherwise caused by people inside the building. Shortly after the raid, the bureau's director, Stephen E. Higgins, retired early from his position. In December 1994, two ATF supervisory agents, Phillip J. Chojnacki and Charles D. Sarabyn, who were suspended for their roles in leading
10496-512: The consequences would be a bit more serious than a single arrest and then business as usual despite a tut-tutting reprimand." The ATF has also received criticism involving financial corruption. In 2021, a whistleblower informed the public that the ATF was giving a 25% monetary bonus to at least 94 of its employees. The benefit is known as law enforcement availability pay, or LEAP, that was only reserved for "criminal investigators" who are on call and expected to work unscheduled, additional hours. It
10624-404: The country store ammonium nitrate, and that their many areas had no regulations to keep such facilities away from populated areas. Moure-Eraso urged new and revised regulations, stating "there is no substitute for an efficient regulatory system that ensures that all companies are operating to the same high standards. We cannot depend on voluntary compliance." The ATF announced on May 11, 2016, that
10752-445: The distribution chain, to the first retail purchaser. This information is used to link suspects to firearms in criminal investigations, identify potential traffickers, and detect in-state, interstate, and international patterns in the sources and types of crime guns. These results are then used to help the courts prosecute the offenders and attempt to clamp down on firearm crime. ATF provides investigative support to its partners through
10880-429: The district's schools would stay closed until further notice. They reopened on April 22. Nearby school districts Abbott Independent School District (ISD) and Penelope ISD also closed their schools for a day. Waco Police indicated that they would treat the explosion site as a crime scene out of caution. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced on the morning of April 18 that it would send
11008-513: The early 20th century. Global production was estimated at 21.6 million tonnes in 2017. By 2021, global production of ammonium nitrate was down to 16.7 million tonnes. Ammonium nitrate is found as the natural mineral gwihabaite (formerly known as nitrammite) – the ammonium analogue of saltpetre (mineralogical name: niter) – in the driest regions of the Atacama Desert in Chile , often as
11136-436: The explosion but failed to identify what started the actual fire that led to the explosion. On April 22, 2014, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board released preliminary results of its investigation into the explosion. It found that company officials failed to safely store the chemicals in its stockpile, and that federal, state and local regulations about the handling of hazardous materials were inadequate. In
11264-490: The facility, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality investigated and cited the operator for not having a permit for two storage tanks that contained anhydrous ammonia. A permit was issued once the operators brought the facility into accord with agency regulations and recommendations. Also in 2006, the EPA fined the owners $ 2,300 for problems that included not filing a risk management program plan on time. In June 2012,
11392-581: The failings of the National Disposal Branch almost pale by comparison ... the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives should be abolished, and its employees sent into the world to seek honest jobs in the private sector, if anybody will have them." Tuccille's primary reason for the complaint related to the mishandling of information and even security of firearms that led to the theft and sale of thousands of confiscated firearms by ATF personnel to private parties. Tuccille argued that if even
11520-468: The fertilizer company, gave the defendants more legal ammunition, and prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to put a hold on new chemical plant safety rules. The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District in collaboration with the Texas Department of State Health Services carried out and completed an epidemiological study to describe the physical injuries related to the incident. The report
11648-450: The fire that led to the explosion was intentionally set. However, they declined to comment about any possible suspects, though a reward of $ 50,000 for information leading to an arrest has been offered. This finding was subsequently disputed by various other experts, who noted that the ATF's finding was based primarily on their inability to find any other cause for the initial fire. Some people complained that it delayed victims' lawsuits against
11776-535: The fire. The final confirmed death toll was 15 fatalities, and approximately 160 to 200 people were injured. Those living in and around West report that the blast felt like an earthquake. The United States Geological Survey recorded the explosion as a 2.1-magnitude tremor. The blast was heard in nearby Hillsboro , Waxahachie , DeSoto , and as far north as Arlington . Windows were blown out in Abbott , 7 miles (11 km) NNE of West. Texas Governor Rick Perry issued
11904-428: The flames, it exploded with the force of 7.5-10 tons of TNT. The explosion created a 93-foot-wide (28 m) and 12-foot-deep (3.7 m) crater where the site of the fertilizer plant had previously been, and resulted in 15 deaths and numerous injuries. After weeks of investigation, the cause of the initial fire remained unknown; authorities ruled out weather, natural causes, anhydrous ammonia, and ammonium nitrate in
12032-547: The former Malakand Division – comprising the Upper Dir , Lower Dir , Swat , Chitral , and Malakand districts of the NWFP – following reports that those chemicals were used by militants to make explosives. Due to these bans, " Potassium chlorate – the material which allows safety matches to catch fire – has surpassed fertilizer as the explosive of choice for insurgents." Ammonium nitrate
12160-473: The ground to make sure there are no unmet needs as search and rescue and response operations continue. West is a town that many Texans hold near and dear to their hearts, and as residents continue to respond to this tragedy, they will have the support of the American people. Due to toxic fumes and a large number of displaced families, West Independent School District announced on its Twitter feed that all five of
12288-551: The immediate deaths of a deputy sheriff as well as the suspect, and the later suicide of ATF agent Jeff Ryan. Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, the ATF expanded regulations covering fuels used in amateur rocketry, including ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (APCP). Two rocketry clubs, the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) and the Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA), argued that APCP
12416-539: The jurisdiction of the Gun Control Act, National Firearms Act, Arms Export Control Act, Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, and other Federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. The remainder of the bureau is personnel in various staff and support roles from office administrative assistants to intelligence analysts, forensic scientists, legal counsel, and technical specialists. Additionally, ATF relies heavily on state and local task force officers to supplement
12544-523: The morning of April 18 to assist in search and rescue. An incident management team from the Texas A&;M Forest Service was also deployed, as was the Veterinary Emergency Team from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences . Governor Perry declared McLennan County a disaster area , and on April 22, President Obama issued an Emergency Declaration, which afforded
12672-462: The new law, and was given jurisdiction over criminal violations relating to the regulatory controls. These responsibilities were delegated to the ATF division of the IRS. The Secretary and the Attorney General were given concurrent jurisdiction over arson and bombing offenses. Pub.L. 91-452, 84 Stat. 922, October 15, 1970. In 1972, the ATF was officially established as an independent bureau within
12800-605: The obliterated plant, the damaged buildings included the public West Middle School , which sits next to the facility. A neighboring 50-unit, two-story apartment building was destroyed. The blast damaged the nearby West Rest Haven nursing home, and many residents were evacuated. Many of the nursing home residents received cuts from flying glass, but emergency personnel on scene judged that most of these injuries were not life-threatening. On April 20, some residents who tried to return to their destroyed homes were turned away, because leaking gas tanks were causing small fires. According to
12928-405: The ongoing Rodney King riots . The next day, the ATF activated its Special Response Team tactical unit to escort firefighters in high-risk areas, pair up with local police in protecting certain establishments, and execute search warrants for looted firearms. During the riots, a total of 4,690 firearms were looted and stolen; over the next 10 days, ATF recovered fewer than 200 firearms. The ATF
13056-425: The people of West, Texas in the aftermath of last night's deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant. A tight-knit community has been shaken, and good, hard-working people have lost their lives. I want to thank the first responders who worked tirelessly through the night to contain the situation and treat the wounded. My Administration, through FEMA and other agencies, is in close contact with our state and local partners on
13184-642: The position, a U.S. Attorney from Boston with a good reputation, but Republican Sens. Larry Craig and Michael D. Crapo , both from Idaho, blocked his confirmation after complaints from an Idaho firearms dealer. In 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Andrew L. Traver , head of the ATF's Denver division, to fill the top spot, but the Senate never held his confirmation hearings. The NRA strongly opposed Traver's nomination. Subsequent failed nominations included Fraternal Order of Police president Chuck Canterbury (nominated by Donald Trump) and former ATF agent David Chipman (nominated by Joe Biden). B. Todd Jones
13312-588: The primary mission of the agency. However, taxation and other alcohol issues remained priorities as the ATF collected billions of dollars in alcohol and tobacco taxes, and undertook major revisions of the federal wine labeling regulations relating to use of appellations of origin and varietal designations on wine labels. In the wake of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law
13440-433: The production of tobacco and alcohol products and the regulatory function related to protecting the public in issues related to the production of alcohol, previously handled by the Bureau of Internal Revenue as well as by ATF, was transferred to the newly established Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which remained within the Treasury Department. These changes took effect January 24, 2003. Complaints regarding
13568-627: The reduction of violent crime offenses in United States districts with dedicated Project Safe Neighborhood Agents and United States Attorneys far outperformed the national average. An outgrowth of the Project Safe Neighborhoods framework was the creation of Violent Crime Impact Teams which worked proactively to identify, disrupt, arrest and prosecute the most violent criminals through innovative technology, analytical investigative resources and an integrated federal , state and local law enforcement strategy. Generally, about 90% of
13696-500: The regulation of explosives in the United States, as well as prosecution of persons engaged in criminal acts involving explosives. One of the most notable investigations successfully conducted by ATF agents was the tracing of the vehicle used in the World Trade Center 1993 bombings , which led to the arrest of persons involved in the conspiracy. ATF also enforces provisions of the Safe Explosives Act, passed after 9/11 to restrict
13824-606: The sale, possession, and transportation of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in interstate commerce . Many of the ATF's activities are carried out in conjunction with task forces made up of state and local law enforcement officers, such as Project Safe Neighborhoods . The ATF operates a unique fire research laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland , where full-scale mock-ups of criminal arson can be reconstructed. The ATF had 5,285 employees and an annual budget of almost $ 1.5 billion in 2021. The ATF has received criticism over its handling of
13952-546: The shotguns were later found to be shorter than allowed by federal law, requiring registration as a short-barreled shotgun and payment of a $ 200 tax. The ATF brought firearms charges against Weaver, but offered to drop the charges if he would become an informant. After Weaver refused to cooperate, ATF passed on false information about Weaver to other agencies that became part of a misleading file that profiled Weaver as having explosive booby traps, tunnels, and bunkers at his home; growing marijuana; having felony convictions; and being
14080-842: The smoke fumes rising from the facility. Over 100 people were reported injured in the blast, and were originally transported to a makeshift triage set up at West High School 's football field. The triage site later was moved to a community center due to the football field's proximity to the still-burning facility. Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco received over 40 injured for treatment. Patients were also admitted to Waco's Providence Healthcare Network, Fort Worth's John Peter Smith Health Network , Dallas's Parkland Memorial Hospital , and Temple 's Scott and White Memorial Hospital . Authorities announced on April 19 that twelve bodies had been recovered, sixty people were missing, and at least 200 had been injured. The 12 dead included 10 first responders as well as two civilians who had volunteered to fight
14208-628: The state aid with 75% federal funding. On April 18, the Texas National Guard sent members of the 6th Civil Support Team to the area to test the air quality and assess chemical and biological hazards. On June 13, 2013, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declined additional aid to the town, based in large part on the ability of the state of Texas to provide the necessary funds to rebuild. However, on August 2, 2013, FEMA reversed its original decision and approved
14336-532: The subjects covered in the training include training in firearms, physical techniques, driving techniques, handcuffing , interviewing, surveillance, crime scene management , photography, basic firearms training, and federal court procedures. The CITP lasts approximately 12 weeks. Each class consists of 48 students, of whom approximately half are ATF trainees. The remaining portion of the CITP class consists of students from other federal agencies. The second part of training
14464-435: The substance are still required to be supervised by authorized personnel and are required to pass a security and national police check before a license may be granted. Ammonium nitrate is not hazardous to health and is usually used in fertilizer products. Ammonium nitrate has an LD 50 of 2217 mg/kg, which for comparison is about two-thirds that of table salt . Ammonium nitrate decomposes, non-explosively, into
14592-622: The techniques used by ATF in their effort to generate firearm cases led to hearings before Congressional committees in the late 1970s and 1980s. At these hearings, evidence was received from citizens who had been charged by ATF, from experts who had studied ATF, and from officials of the bureau itself. A Senate subcommittee report stated, "Based upon these hearings it is apparent that ATF enforcement tactics made possible by current federal firearms laws are constitutionally, legally, and practically reprehensible." The Subcommittee received evidence that ATF primarily devoted its firearms enforcement efforts to
14720-531: The time of the incident, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had last inspected the plant in 1985. According to records obtained by the Associated Press , OSHA cited the plant for improper storage of anhydrous ammonia and fined it $ 30. OSHA could have fined the company as much as $ 1,000. OSHA also cited the plant for violations of respiratory protection standards, but did not impose
14848-583: The transfers were promotions. In June 2011, Vince Cefalu, an ATF special agent for 24 years who in December 2010 exposed ATF's Project Gunrunner scandal, was notified of his termination. Two days before the termination, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to the ATF warning officials not to retaliate against whistleblowers. Cefalu's dismissal followed allegations that ATF retaliates against whistleblowers. ATF spokesman Drew Wade denied that
14976-470: The use/possession of explosives without a federal license to use them. ATF is considered to be the leading federal agency in most bombings that occur within the U.S., with exception to bombings related to international terrorism (investigated by the FBI). ATF currently trains the U.S. military in evidence recovery procedures after a bombing. All ATF Agents are trained in post-blast investigation; however ATF maintains
15104-423: The world. These forms have a 3.6% difference in density and hence transition between them causes a change in volume. One practical consequence of this is that ammonium nitrate cannot be used as a solid rocket motor propellant, as it develops cracks. Stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) was developed as a solution to this and incorporates metal halides stabilisers, which prevent density fluctuations. Ammonium nitrate
15232-411: Was covered by donations. Ammonium nitrate Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula NH 4 NO 3 . It is a white crystalline salt consisting of ions of ammonium and nitrate . It is highly soluble in water and hygroscopic as a solid, although it does not form hydrates . It is predominantly used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertilizer . Its other major use
15360-468: Was filed on behalf of the city and claimed the defendants were negligent in selling or distributing the ammonium nitrate based fertilizer, that they failed to properly warn of the dangers associated with the handling and storage of the product, and should have never sold the product to West Fertilizer. In 2019, the city of West dedicated the Fallen Heroes Memorial, a memorial park dedicated to
15488-510: Was involved in the Waco Siege against the Branch Davidian religious sect near Waco, Texas , on February 28, 1993. ATF agents, accompanied by the press, conducted a raid to execute a federal search warrant on the sect's compound, known as Mt. Carmel . The Branch Davidians were alerted to the upcoming warrant execution, but ATF raid leaders pressed on, despite knowing the advantage of surprise
15616-710: Was issued in June 2014 and the study was later published as a scientific manuscript in 2016. One year later, in 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported that fertilizer storage regulations in the U.S. were unchanged. In 2015, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 942 regulating storage and inspection of ammonium nitrate and granting authority to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and local fire marshals to effect and enforce such regulation. At least seven lawsuits were filed against Adair Grain Inc., which owned
15744-412: Was lost. (ATF Director Steve Higgins had promised Treasury Under Secretary for Enforcement Ron Noble that the Waco raid would be canceled if the ATF undercover agent Robert Rodriguez reported that the element of surprise had been lost.) The resulting exchange of gunfire killed six Davidians and four ATF agents. FBI HRT later took over the scene and a 51-day stand-off ensued, ending on April 19, 1993, after
15872-450: Was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate as permanent ATF director on July 31, 2013, serving until March 31, 2015. Jones was the only successful Senate-approved appointment until the Senate confirmed Steve Dettelbach in July 2022. Dettelbach's confirmation required a procedural maneuver to advance his nomination out of Senate Judiciary committee. It passed the evenly-divided Senate due to two Republicans voting with
16000-445: Was once used, in combination with independently explosive "fuels" such as guanidine nitrate , as a cheaper (but less stable) alternative to 5-aminotetrazole in the inflators of airbags manufactured by Takata Corporation , which were recalled as unsafe after killing 14 people. The current USA death total is 27. Numerous safety guidelines are available for storing and handling ammonium nitrate. Health and safety data are shown on
16128-436: Was singled out for harassment by two ATF agents. The owner of a gun shop testified that he thought agents questioned female customers too often. He said that times had changed and more women were shopping for guns, adding: "It seems, however, to be the prevailing opinion for law enforcement at the gun show that any woman who brings a male friend for advice or support must be making a straw purchase." A private investigator said
16256-651: Was that the target should house at least two of three federal law enforcement agencies : the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He regarded the presence of additional law enforcement agencies, such as the Secret Service or the U.S. Marshals Service , as a bonus. Until the September 11, 2001, attacks,
16384-440: Was the material that exploded. On May 11, 2016, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives stated that the fire had been deliberately set. That finding has been disputed. West Fertilizer Company had supplied chemicals to farmers since it was founded in 1962. As of 2013 it was owned by Adair Grain, Inc. and employed nine workers at the facility. Adair Grain, Inc. is wholly owned by Donald Adair and his wife Wanda. At
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