Thursday, May 30, 2019

Three Hearings Set on US Nitrogen etc

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A series of three hearings will be held over two days next month on the renewal and replacement of permits now held by US Nitrogen, the Greene County chemical manufacturer that has been at the center of concern for some area residents.
The three sessions will be held on June 10 and June 11 at the gymnasium at West Greene High School, the same site as a recent hearing over yet another US Nitrogen permit that allows the company to draw millions of gallons of free water from the Nolichucky River.
The multiple hearings have led to confusion and fears of inconvenience among some interested in the permits.
Park Overall, an environmental activist who attended the recent hearing on the river permit, said the information provided at that hearing did nothing to clear things up.
She said there was "much confusion" about the upcoming hearings and TDEC officials promised to forward additional information.
"I am at a complete loss," she said.
Another attendee at the river hearing said the timing of the sessions will make it difficult for some residents to even make it to all the public sessions.
Those that did attend the Nolichucky hearing noted that the meeting was sparsely attended with only 15 to 20 residents present.
According to public notices issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation multiple hearings are necessary because permits now held by US Nitrogen will be replaced by separate permits, some issued to US Nitrogen and some to Praxair Inc. and some by Yara North America. Those two firms co-occupy the Midway site where US Nitrogen is located.
According to the public notices on June 10 a hearing will be held on US Nitrogen's permit requests at 7:30 p.m. It will be preceded by an informational session at 5:30 p.m. in which residents can meet with TDEC staff and ask questions.
On June 11 a hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m. for the permits sought by Praxair. It will be followed at 6:30 with a hearing on the Yara permit applications.
Asked about the scheduling, TDEC spokeswoman Kim Scharfinski said, "Instead of conducting three separate formal hearings in one evening, we determined it would be most efficient and productive to host the public hearing for the permit changes associated with US Nitrogen on the first evening, and the hearings regarding the permit changes associated with Yara and Praxair on the second evening."
She said TDEC has received multiple inquiries about the US Nitrogen permits which led to the decision to hold a separate information session on June 10 prior to the formal hearing.
"While not required to do so, we determined that providing an information session prior to the US Nitrogen public hearing would allow our staff and members of the public an opportunity to informally address any questions," Scharfinski said, adding that TDEC staff would also be able to respond to questions at that time on the Yara and Praxair permit applications.
US Nitrogen is asking for existing construction permits to be consolidated in a federally enforceable state operating permit. The petition seeks to opt out of an existing provision of the Tennessee Air Pollution Control Act.
The company is seeking a conditional major operating permit for ammonia, nitric acid and ammonium nitrate solution manufacturing operations. The company says it will agree to limit nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide emissions.
Praxair is seeking a permit to construct a carbon dioxide liquefaction operation while Yara seeks to takeover construction of a calcium nitrate production facility including digesting reactors, mixing tanks and a filter press.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com





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Friday, May 24, 2019

US Nitrogen Permits Waived


By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials have concluded that US Nitrogen does not need special permits for a new emulsion plant and three large storage tanks including one holding sulfuric acid.
In a letter issued today a deputy director of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation told US Nitrogen plant manager Dylan Charles that no permits are required for the new plant and storage tanks.
The company informed TDEC of the new facilities on May 11.
In addition to sulfuric acid tank, the other two tanks will be used to store hypochlorite.
The approvals come just days after TDEC held a public hearing in Greeneville on US Nitrogen's application to renew the permit under which it draws millions of gallons of free water per week from the Nolichucky River. Only a handful of residents showed up for the hearing.
In other developments this week TDEC acknowledged the receipt of test results on nitrous oxide and other emissions from US Nitrogen's nitric acid plant.
The tests were conducted by an outside firm hired by US Nitrogen to verify that the company did not exceed the emission limits set out in its permits.
The company also submitted quarterly data to show that emission limits on the nitric acid plant and a steam generating boiler did not exceed set limits during the first quarter of 2019.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

Monday, May 20, 2019

Key US Nitrogen Hearing Set


By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee state officials will be presiding over a key hearing tomorrow on the renewal of a controversial permit that allows a chemical company to pump millions of gallons of free water from the Nolichucky River for use in its manufacturing operations.
The hearing set by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will begin with an informational session from 5 to 6 p.m. to be followed by a formal public hearing from 6 to 8 p.m. It will be held in the gymnasium at the West Green High School.
Under its existing permit, which expires June 2, the company has pumped some 350 million gallons of water from the Nolichucky. It has been pulling water from the river since March of 2016.
Local environmental activist Park Overall said she plans to be at the hearing and testify against renewal of the permit.
The water is drawn through a pipeline from the river to US Nitrogen's Midway manufacturing plant.
The Tuesday session is the first of two key hearings relating to US Nitrogen, which primarily produces ammonium nitrate for use in explosives produced by its corporate parent, Austin Powder, based in Ohio. On June 10 TDEC will be holding a hearing on a permit application by US Nitrogen to merge some seven current permits int a single environmental permit. That hearing will begin at 5:30 with an information session. It will be followed by a formal hearing at 7 p.m. The June 10 session will also be held at the gymnasium at West Green High School.





Tuesday, May 14, 2019

USN Took 350 Million Gallons From River


By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Tennessee chemical firm has drawn some 350 million gallons of free water from a nearby river over the past three years under a controversial permit that is now up for renewal.
In a report filed Tuesday with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, US Nitrogen reported it drew 22 million gallons from the Nolichucky in April alone. That is the highest total in the past year but far below the record 38.7 million gallons US Nitrogen took from the river in December of 2017.
During the same three year period the monthly reports show the company discharged nearly 180 million gallons of water back in to the river
The latest monthly report comes as the date for a public hearing on the company's permit is fast approaching. TDEC has set a May 21 date for a public session on the permit renewal request. US Nitrogen uses the water in its manufacturing processes and thus avoids paying a local utility millions of dollars a year in fees.
The hearing will start with an information session from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a formal hearing from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will be held in the West Greene High School gymnasium.
The same permit allows the company to discharge waste water back in to the river. In April, for instance, the company pumped some 10.5 million gallons back in to the river. Absent the permit the company would also be charged for processing that discharge.
The company began drawing water from the river in March of 2016 although the original permit was issued a few months earlier.
According to the April report US Nitrogen pumped more than one million gallons from the river on six days including April 9 through April 13. On three days in April the company discharged over 500,000 gallons back into the river.
The company draws the water from the river at a location about 10 miles from its Midway plant. A pipeline, which also drew controversy, was installed along two state highways to deliver the water. A law suit over the pipeline was only recently settled.
US Nitrogen's primary product is ammonium nitrate which is used by its parent firm, Austin Powder, in the production of explosives.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

US Nitrogen Hearing Schedule


May 21: Hearing on the permit that allows U.S. Nitrogen to take water from the Nolichucky River.
Where: West Greene High School Gymnasium
When: 5 to 6 p.m. Information Session 6 to 8 p.m. Formal Hearing


June 10: Hearing on other construction permits from the state which US Nitrogen is seeking to renew.
Where: West Greene High School Gymnasium
When: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Information Session 7 p.m. Formal hearing.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

US Nitrogen Seeks Permits

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials have made public extensive details on permits being sought by a Greene County chemical firm which will be the subject of public hearings in June.
In a 91-page document posted this week on its website, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation detailed the proposed permits that will allow US Nitrogen to continue its operations.
According to the notice the company is seeking a conditional major operating permit that would cover its ammonia, nitric acid and ammonium nitrate manufacturing operations.
The notice states that the major conditional operating permit will replace and supersede seven existing construction permits.
In addition the company is seeking air quality construction permits for its cooling towers, steam boiler, an anhydrous ammonia production plant, a nitric acid plant and flare systems.
In filing for the conditional operating permit, US Nitrogen has agreed to limit nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emissions to less than 100 tons per year.
"US Nitrogen has agree to use monitoring, testing and record keeping methods to prove they are abiding by the more restrictive emission limits," the filing states.
According to the notice if US Nitrogen fails to abide by the carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide limits it will be subject not only to enforcement action by the state, "but it may result in the imposition of federal enforcement action by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the loss of being federally recognized as a conditional majour source.
The company is asking that limits on greenhouse gases that are in its current permit be removed and they are seeking other changes including an increase in the total dissolved solids allowed in its cooling towers.
TDEC has announced that an informational session will be held on June 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. to be immediately followed by a formal public hearing. The sessions will be held at the West Greene High School gymnasium.
The session will be in addition to a separate public hearing on US Nitrogen's application to renew the permit which allows the company to draw millions of gallons of water from the Nolichucky River for use in its manufacturing operations. That hearing is scheduleded for May 21 at the West Greene High School. An informational session will be held at 5 p.m. followed by a formal public hearing at 6 p.m.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com