US Nitrogen Seeks River Permit Renewal

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Greene County chemical firm is asking Tennessee officials to renew a highly controversial permit allowing it to pump millions of gallons of water per week from the Nolichucky River.
In a 19-page application including appendices, US Nitrogen contends it needs the continued use of the river water because other sources cannot meet company needs.
The manufacturer of liquid ammonium nitrate not only uses the river water in regular production but also discharges up to 500,000 gallons of wastewater back into the river through pipelines from its Midway plant. The discharges are also authorized under the permit.
The current permit with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation expires on June 2, according to the application submitted by US Nitrogen Plant Manager Dylan Charles. The company, the application states, also has existing related permits from the Tennesseee Valley Authority and the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers.
"The water process demand of US Nitrogen is beyond the capability of the local public utility to supply without jeopardizing reliable service to its customers," the filing states, adding that the US Nitrogen discharges also would consume essentially all of the remaining capacity of the local wastewater treatment plant.
Acknowledging that the river at the point of connection to US Nitrogen's pipelines is categorized as an "exceptional water resource," the application cites the findings of two outside consultants hired by US Nitrogen.
The application contends that the effects of the river use meet the definition of "de minimus," thus negating the need for applying more stringent standards.
The application cites alternative water supply and discharge sources that the company considered but ultimately rejected in favor of using the Nolichucky. Those included the use of water from the Old Knox Utility District.
US Nitrogen, the application states, "determined that the Old Knox Utility District could not provide sufficient, reliable and/or economically viable water for facility production."
Other alternatives considered, the report states, included the Hinkle property and use of the Mosheim water treatment plant.
Use of the Hinkle property, the application states, would have required an additional stream crossing. Use of the Lick Creek, the filing continues would not have produced an adequate volume for company needs.
Alternative discharge points, the company, contends were also rejected making discharge to the Nolichucky "justifiable."