US Nitrogen Violations Detailed

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Records from the town of Mosheim show US Nitrogen was found in violation of rules for the local water treatment plant on 27 occasions earlier this year and the company was fined $14,700 as a result.
The violations were detailed in a letter from Mosheim Mayor Thomas L. Gregg Jr. to Andrew Velo, US Nitrogen's plant manager.
According to the letter the effluent pumped by US Nitrogen into the local treatment plant exceeded the allowable limits for nitrogen and phosphates.
Disclosure of the violations cited by a local government has prompted questions from long time opponents of the US Nitrogen project including Park Overall.
"Where is the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Where is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?" Overall asked. "Twenty seven violations, big ones, in a year."
US Nitrogen officials have not responded to requests for comment.
"What we have here is a failure to serve the people. The regulators are serving industry." she added.
In imposing the fine, Gregg noted that US Nitrogen also had prior violations.
The prior violations include exceeding the daily limit of 55,000 gallons per day for 10 days in February of 2016.
In citing the Midway Greene County firm for the latest violations, Gregg stated that US Nitrogen must recalibrate its flow meters.
The notice states that US Nitrogen had failed on three occasions to perform required retests and exceeded maximum flow limits on Feb. 13-15 of this year and again on Feb. 22.
As Gregg's letter noted the violations came under pre-treatment requirements for the Lick Creek Valley Wastewater Treatment Facility. Notice of the violations stated that they did not cause "significant damage" to the treatment plant.
US Nitrogen is not the only local company to get violation notices. Also cited was SumiRiko, The comany was fines $300.  SumiRiko Tennessee, previously known as DTR Tennessee, is located in Midway.
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