Iowa DNR News Environmental Services Division For immediate release October 13, 2008 TANK RUPTURE RESULTS IN SPILL REACHING MISSISSIPPI RIVER KEOKUK — Up to 200,000 gallons of byproducts associated with the production of corn sweetener reached the Mississippi River after a tank imploded early Monday morning spilling the contents. The incident occurred shortly before 3 a.m. Monday at the Roquette America, Inc., Refinery E facility in Keokuk. The implosion of the tank blew out a sidewall of the facility. The fluid was moving forcefully enough to break a concrete retaining wall and to knock some nearby railroad cars off the tracks. The byproducts entered a ditch that flows to the Mississippi River. There are gates at the outfall near the river that were shut and efforts were taking place on Monday to remove as much of the byproduct as possible. Because of the volume of the Mississippi River, no long-term impact to water quality is expected. There were no signs of a fish kill associated with the spill on Monday. Downstream water users were also advised of the spill. The spill remains under investigation. For more information, contact Kevin Baskins at 515-281-8395. -30- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp