US Nitrogen Submits Some Emission Test Results

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Greene County chemical firm has submitted some of the reults of recent performance tests completed at the Midway facility, but other test results are still being reviewed.
US Nitrogen submitted aa 97-page report to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation on tests performed at the end of last month on two ammonia production units at the Midway ammonium nitrate manufacturing plant.
The tests were ordered to determine if the company was in compliance with the limits on nitrogen oxides and ammonia emissions in its state permit.
The data submitted indicates that the nitrogen oxide limits may have been exceeded when the lowest level of fuel consumption was used.
Under the test plans the emissions were measured using three different levels of fuel consumption.
The tests, which were witnessed by a TDEC official, were conducted by AMP Environmental Solutions of Napier, N.C. on July 30 and 31.
In a letter to Michelle Owenby, TDEC's technical secretary, Stephen Wallace of US Nitrogen wrote that the additional tests were conducted because tests conducted in April proved to be inconclusive.
Wallace wrote that in addition to the emissions tests engineering tests were performed "for the purpose of developing engineering factors upon which to base continuing compliance with the nitrogen oxides and ammonia limits in the operating permit."
Wallace added that the results of those tests were still under review and a report would be submitted to the state within a few days.
In a related matter US Nitrogen submitted a monthly report to the state on the amount of water it pumped from the Nolichucky River for use in its operations.
According to the report on July operations the company pumped 13 million gallons from the river while discharging nearly 7.5 million gallons back into the river.
On seven days during the month no water was pumped from the Nolichucky. On four days including July 30 over a million gallons was pumped from the river.
On eight days, including July 4 and 5, only a minimal amount was pumped back into the river.
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