US Nitrogen Reports Higher Nolichucky Use

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

The use of water from the Nolichucky River by a Greene County chemical firm climbed in January to more than 11 million gallons, according to a report filed with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
The report filed by US Nitrogen LLC today showed the firm pumped 11.9 million gallons from the waterway in January, up from 10.8 million gallons in December but lower than the 18.6 million reported in November.
The monthly report was filed as TDEC approved the transfer of a key permit from US Nitrogen to Praxair, a producer of liquefied carbon dioxide. Praxair operates on the same multi-acre Midway site and utilizes carbon dioxide produced by US Nitrogen in the production of ammonium nitrate.
Under the permit Praxair is limited to producing no more than 90.8 tons of liquified carbon dioxide in any 12 month period.
Praxair, which serves the beverage industry, must maintain detailed records on the amount of carbon dioxide it receives from US Nitrogen and the amount it then ships in liquefied form to its customers, according to the permit.
Initially the permit to operate a carbon dioxide liquefaction facility was granted to US Nitrogen, but a transfer was requested recently citing a U.S. Supreme Court ruling and policy changes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The transfer of ownership in the permit was effective on June 29 of last year, according to the renewal notice.
The monthly river report filed by US Nitrogen shows the company discharged 5.9 million gallons of wastewater back into the river. The discharge point is at mile marker 20.8 on the river.
The report shows that US Nitrogen pumped in excess of 700,000 gallons of water from the river on 13 days of the month with the highest total coming on Jan. 28. On Jan. 10 no water was drawn from the Nolichucky.
On six days during January the company did not discharge any wastewater into the river.
The January discharge total was down from the 6.2 million gallons discharged in December.
The monthly river use reports are required under the state's permit.
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