LANSING, Mich. - State Representative Dudley Spade (D-Tipton) today commended his colleagues in the Legislature for taking action to address Michigan's growing problem with the illegal use and manufacture of methamphetamines. On Wednesday, September 13, the Legislature passed HB 4108, commonly known as the Anhydrous Ammonia Security Act, which requires the Agriculture Commission to establish safety and security practices regarding the handling of anhydrous ammonia, and to exempt from tort liability those farmers and other individuals who maintain anhydrous ammonia tanks in compliance with the standards.
"We have been working hard in the Agriculture Committee to find a solution to this problem that helps protect Michigan's citizens from the dangers of methamphetamine while also protecting farmers and others from wrongful lawsuits," Representative Spade said. "People who take the proper precautions to guard against the theft of this potentially dangerous chemical should not be held liable for the actions of the criminals who try to steal it."
The bill requires the Agriculture Commission-in consultation with, among others, the Department of Agriculture, Michigan State University Extension, and the Michigan State Police-to establish safety and security standards regarding the handling of anhydrous ammonia by sellers and legal consumers. These practices will include requirements that storage tanks be properly equipped with tank or valve locks and that the chemical also be stored with a substance that contains a dye that would stain the clothes and skin of would be thieves in a highly visible manner.
Anhydrous ammonia, commonly used as an agricultural fertilizer, has become a staple in the manufacture of methamphetamines. Typically stored safely as a liquefied gas in high pressure tanks, the chemical is used as a "cooking" agent in methamphetamine production that speeds up the manufacturing process to just a few hours. When released into the air, it becomes a highly toxic gas that is harmful to those that come in contact with it, potentially causing severe burns, blindness, and death.
"These new safety standards will help farmers prevent thefts ad help police identify the criminals that that perpetrate them," Spade said. "I want to thank my colleagues in the Legislature for working with me to address this serious problem and protect Michigan's citizens."