Thursday, August 29, 2019

US Nitrogen Files Fuel Use Log


By Walter F. Roche Jr.

US Nitrogen has filed detailed data on its use of fuel in a steam generating plant and it shows the firm consumed some 2,734 million cubic feet in the first seven months of the current calendar year.
The report follows the disclosure by the company that it had violated the terms of one of its permits by using more natural gas than permitted for four successive months. The permit limits the monthly fuel use to 380 million cubic feet per month
The new company filing lists the fuel consumption for each day from Jan. 1, 2019 to July 31.
In the months that the company violated its permit limit the total for April was 392 million cubic feet followed by 415.9 million in May, 425.5 million in June and 446.4 million in July.
The January total was 341.6 million cubic feet followed by 361.4 million in February.
The highest total for a single day was a little over 2 million cubic feet on July 31. The lowest amount was on March 19 when no gas was used.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com



Saturday, August 24, 2019

Greeneville, County Fined on Landfill


By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials have imposed a $2,250 fine on Greeneville and Greene County for violations of permits to operate a Class III landfill.
According to the notice posted this week on the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation web site the fine was assessed due to conditions found at the facility located at 1555 Old Stage Road.
According to the notice the emissions limit allowed under the permit was exceeded as was the emission standard.
The facility serves as a county transfer station as well as a landfill for construction and demolition materials.
According to Greeneville records the site is owned jointly by the township and the county but the operation of the transfer station and landfill is run under contract by Waste Industries of Tennessee, LLC.
Solid waste brought to the site is hauled to Waste Industries landfill in Hamblen County. Construction waste is disposed off at the Class III landfill on the site. Under the state permit household waste and garbage cannot be disposed at the facility.
A copy of the notice follows.


NOTICE

A Technical Secretary's Order was issued to Town of Greenevile/Greene County Government dba Greeneville/Greene County Transfer Station & Demolition Landfill) of Greene County for a violation of emission limit, emission standard, and surrogate parameter by exceeding the VEE standard. The Order assessed a civil penalty of $2,250.

Friday, August 23, 2019

US Nitrogen Violated Permit

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Greene County chemical firm violated the terms of one of its state permits on four successive months, but only learned of the violation in August.
In a letter to officials of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Dylan Charles, plant manager for US Nitrogen wrote that the company's steam generator had exceeded the maximum allowable fuel consumption from April through July.
While the state permit set the maximum monthly consumption of natural gas at 380 million cubic feet per month, that amount was exceeded in each of the four months. The excesses ranged from 12 million cubic feet in April to 66 million cubic feet in July. The totals were: April- 392 million cubic feet, May -415 million cubic feet, June-425 million cubic feet and July- 446 million cubic feet.
According to Charles letter to TDEC's Michelle Owenby, the violations were not noted until Aug. 18.
The letter does not provide any explanation for why the overages occurred or why they weren't noticed until mid-August.
The steam boiler permit is one of several granted by TDEC to the Midway firm to operate an ammonium nitrate manufacturing facility.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

Monday, August 19, 2019

US Nitrogen Used 23 Million River Gallons


By Walter F. Roche Jr.

US Nitrogen, the Greene County Tennessee chemical company, used a little over 23 million gallons of water from the Nolichucky River during the month of July, according to a report filed with state officials.
The monthly report filed with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation showed that the company withdrew more than 1 million gallons from the river on 11 separate days including July 27 and July 28.
That compares to a little under 20 million withdrawn by the ammonium nitrate manufacturer in June. On seven days in June US Nitrogen pumped more than a million gallons of water.
The Midway firm also reported it discharged 10.75 million gallons of waste water back into the Nolichucky during July. Both the withdrawal and discharges took place at a company pumping station at mile marker 20.8 of the Nolichucky.
On six days during July no water was discharged to the river. The highest amount of discharge, nearly 600,000 gallons, occurred on July 31. That compares to June when more than 500,000 gallons were discharged to the river on 17 days
The company recently had its unique permit for river water use renewed.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

Friday, August 9, 2019

US Nitrogen Permit Still Under Review


By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials are still reviewing new permit applications for a Greene County chemical firm, but the company can continue to operate under its old permit.
Kim Schofinski, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said today that agency officials are still reviewing the US Nitrogen application along with comments submitted in writing or at a series of public hearings held over a month ago.
Two other firms located in the same Midway site also are seeking permits. Previously all three firms were operating under a single permit
"TDEC is currently in the process of reviewing comments, preparing a response, and making necessary changes, if any, to the draft permit," Schofinski wrote in an email response to questions.
"Once that process is complete, a proposed permit will be sent to EPA for review," she added.
Up until now US Nitrogen LLC, Praxair Inc. and Yara North America have been operating under a construction permit.
"The facility can continue to operate under the authority of and in accordance with their construction permits until an issuance of a conditional major operating permit," Schofinski wrote.
The new permit scheme has raised concerns some of which were expressed at a series of June public hearings and in written comments.
Both the Sierra Club and an expert hired by local activist Park Overall have argued against issuing three separate permits.
US Nitrogen is seeking a conditional major operating permit for ammonia, nitric acid and ammonium nitrate solution manufacturing operations. The permit would set limits on 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.
Scott Banberry of the Sierra Club told TDEC that he opposed separating the permits because it eliminates looking at the combined impact of all three operations, which are all operating on the same Midway site.
Howard Gebhart, an environmental consultant brought in by Park Overall, submitted detailed objections to the permit proposals and urged TDEC to place additional monitoring and reporting requirements on the three companies.
Gebhart also questioned the legality of the three permit scheme and warned that the net result could be a tripling of emissions from the combined operations.
US Nitrogen already has won TDEC approval to renew a separate permit which enables the chemical firm to pump millions of gallons of water per week from the Nolichucky River for use in the production of ammonium nitrate.