US Nitrogen Application " Incomplete"

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials have concluded that the application recently submitted by US Nitrogen to begin a new operation in Greene County is incomplete and several additional documents must be filled out and submitted before it can be considered.
In a letter sent Thursday to US Nitrogen manager Andrew Velo, an official of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, wrote that the Sept. 11 application would be put on hold until additional data is submitted.
James P. Johnston, a TDEC deputy director, advised US Nitrogen that nine additional forms must be submitted for the application to be considered.
The missing items include eight forms providing additional data on the four tanks the Midway firm wants to locate on its property.
The application submitted by Velo seeks approval for the company to produce 43.8 million gallons per year of RDT-8, a flammable substance used in the production of explosives. The four tanks would have a combined capacity of 128,400 gallons.
Velo wrote in his letter that the new operation also would require the constant presence at the site of two rail cars which will be used for storage and oil from tankers will be transferred to a mixing tank where oil and an emulsifier will be combined. The end product will be an ammonium nitrate emulsion.
Disclosure of US Nitrogen's plans has prompted several area residents to protest the proposal. In emails to TDEC the area residents have asked for a thorough review of the proposal at both the state and county level.
In the letter to Velo, Johnston wrote, "If you fail to submit a complete application within the 180 day time period, all construction permits shall be denied and any fees forfeited."
He told Velo that if any additional deficiencies are found, the company will have the 180 day period to submit corrections or additional data.
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