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.
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