No TDEC Action on US Nitrogen

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials have informed a Greene County chemical firm that it will take no action despite excess emissions from the nitric acid plant at the Midway facility earlier this year.
In a letter sent late last week by Bryan Parker of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to US Nitrogen's plant manager, Andrew Velo, the state agency said the excess emission of nitrogen oxide on Feb. 23 was of short duration and "the malfunction was resolved in a timely manner."
"Therefore," Parker wrote in the two-page letter, "no further action will be taken."
He added that TDEC considers that US Nitrogen has fulfilled reporting requirements" of its permit.
The letter was in apparent response to a quarterly report filed by US Nitrogen recently.
The Midway manufacturer of ammonium nitrate was also recently notified that it failed to seek a permit for the construction of an ammonia storage facility.
US Nitrogen has asked that any financial penalties resulting from the violation be waived. TDEC has yet to respond to that request.
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