§ 28-1240. Unlawful transportation of anhydrous ammonia; penalty; unlawful use of certain containers; penalty.
AI-assisted research summary: It is unlawful to transport certain noncompliant anhydrous ammonia tanks and to use certain former anhydrous-ammonia tanks for propane or liquefied natural gas, with an exception for properly prepared alternative use.
(1) Any person, partnership, limited liability company, firm, or corporation (a) who loads, unloads, transports, or causes to be transported over the public highways of this state anhydrous ammonia in a tank or container with a water gallon capacity of three thousand gallons or less which will not withstand two-hundred-fifty-pounds-per-square-inch gauge pressure or in a tank or container with a water gallon capacity of more than three thousand gallons which will not withstand two-hundred-sixty-five-pounds-per-square-inch gauge pressure and does not meet all the other requirements of the United States Department of Transportation Specifications MC 330 or MC 331, as amended and effective September 1, 1965, or (b) who operates any anhydrous ammonia railroad tank cars over the railroads of this state which fail to comply with all of the applicable requirements of the United States Department of Transportation in effect on December 25, 1969, commits the offense of unlawful transportation of anhydrous ammonia. (2) Compliance with this section must be shown by an identification plate permanently affixed to a conspicuous place on each tank or container. After July 17, 1986, whenever any tank or container is altered subsequent to its original manufacture, the identification plate of such tank or container shall be changed to indicate proof that the tank or container is able to meet standards prescribed in subsection (1) of this section after the tank or container has been altered. Any tank or container which is so altered without making the appropriate changes on its identification plate shall be considered not in compliance with this section. (3) Unlawful transportation of anhydrous ammonia is a Class II misdemeanor. (4) Each day of a violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense, and any person, partnership, limited liability company, firm, or corporation operating, loading, or unloading a tank or container not in compliance with this section shall be considered as a separate violator of this section. (5) It shall be unlawful for any person to use or cause to be used any tank or container with a water gallon capacity of under three thousand gallons which is or has been used to contain anhydrous ammonia for containing propane or liquefied natural gas. Such unlawful use of a tank or container shall be a Class III misdemeanor. (6) Subsection (5) of this section shall not be applicable when the owner of the tank or container can show that the tank or container has been properly prepared for alternative use. Standards for such preparation shall be adopted and promulgated by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this section. History: Laws 1977, LB 38, § 272; Laws 1979, LB 476, § 1; Laws 1986, LB 881, § 1; Laws 1993, LB 121, § 182.