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.
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