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.
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