Kugler Oil fined $119K for chemical accident prevention violations at Nebraska facility
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached an agreement with Kugler Oil Company to resolve alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act’s chemical accident prevention provisions. The company’s fertilizer manufacturing facility in Culbertson, Nebraska, manufactures, stores, sells, and distributes anhydrous ammonia. According to the EPA, the plant failed to comply with regulations intended to protect workers and the surrounding community from accidental releases of the toxic substance.
The EPA conducted an inspection in August 2023 during which it learned that Kugler Oil Company:
- Failed to abide by chemical accident prevention regulations
- Failed to develop a Risk Management Plan
- Did not properly coordinate with first responders
- Did not develop written operating procedures for temporary or emergency operations
Following the inspection, the company made sure to take the necessary steps to return its facility to full compliance, but Kugler Oil Company will still have to pay $119,000 in civil penalties.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, EPA Region 7 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division Director David Cozad said, “Compliance with Clean Air Act chemical accident prevention provisions saves lives. These enforcement actions protect communities and level the playing field with businesses who are following the rules.”
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About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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