US Nitrogen Seeks Permit Change

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Greene County chemical company has requested approval from Tennessee environmental officials for a change or clarification in one of its permits to operate a plant producing anhydrous ammonia.
In a recent letter to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Protecion, Stephen Wallace of US Nitrogen said the change was being sought to eliminate confusion over what emission standard the company must maintain.
The proposed change would make it clear that the standard is based on an initial performance test performed at the Midway facility on Nov. 21 and Nov. 22 of 2016.
The standard in question involves the levels of nitrous oxide allowable under the permit.
The apparent confusion surfaced when the chemical firm announced plans to undertake a series of performance tests.
In a separate but related action a TDEC official has notified US Nitrogen that it has reviewed recent submissions by the company detailing emissions for the last quarter of 2018 and 2019.
Bryan Parker of TDEC wrote that the records showed US Nitrogen did not exceed the emissions limits for nitrous oxides during the time periods in question.
Parker wrote that the data for the anhydrous ammonia plant and the nitric acid plant "achieved the required 95 percent operational availability level" for the time periods.

US Nitrogen Sets Compliance Tests

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

US Nitrogen has given state environmental officials 30 days notice of its plan to conduct tests to determine if its ammonium nitrate manufacturing facility is operating within the limits set in its state permits.
In a letter to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Stephen Wallace of US Nitrogen stated that the performance test will be performed on April 13 by a North Carolina firm, AMP-Cherokee Environmental Solutions.
In a 17-page attachment, the company gave details of how the test will be conducted on both of its ammonium train production units. Previously the company had indicated it might be testing only one of the two trains.
According to the protocol the tests will check the levels of carbon monoxide, ammonia and nitrous oxides emitted from the plants from start-up to full production to shutdown. US Nitrogen has experienced difficulties in prior start-ups.
The tests will also show whether the selective catalytic reduction mechanism is functioning properly. The SCR is designed to ensure emission limits for nitrous oxides are not exceeded.
Under its permit US Nitrogen is limited to producing 73 tons of anhydrous ammonia in any 12 month period.
According to the protocol the tests will establish a range of ammonia injection rates that will ensure that emissions do not exceed permit limits.

Two US Nitrogen Permits Expiring

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Two of the state permits for a Greene County chemical firm will expire next month but state environmental officials say expected renewal requests will not be the subject of public hearings.
The two permits, one covering US Nitrogen LLC's water treatment plant and the other applying to its manufacturing operations, expire April 14.
The permits,known as Tennessee Stormwater Multi-Sector General Permits (TMSP), are not subject to public hearing requirements, according to Kim Schofinski of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
The TDEC spokeswoman said the overall state permit for the stormwater program is expiring on the same date, April 14, and TDEC will be issuing a notice for a hearing on the renewal of the general permit.
"Issuing coverage to individual facilities is not subject to public notice or public hearing requirements," she added.
According to guidelines from TDEC, stormwater permits are required for nearly all industrial operations.
While certain industrial operations can opt to seek an individual stormwater permit, most seek coverage under the general permit.
In compliance with its permits US Nitrogen has submitted periodic reports on the stormwater runoff collected and analyzed from its Midway operations.
Contact:wfrochejr@gmail.com

US Nitrogen Reports 10 Dry Days

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

US Nitrogen drew no water from the Nolichucky River for a total of 10 days during the month of February, according to a report filed with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
The one-page monthly report showed that from Feb. 11 to Feb. 18 and from Feb. 23 to Feb. 25 the chemical firm pumped no water from the river. It marks the most days without river water use since the company began using the waterway in its production of ammonium nitrate and other related chemicals.
Overall in February the company reported it pumped 9.9 million gallons from the Nolichucky and it also discharged 5.8 million gallons back in to the river. On only one day, Feb. 16, the company reported no water was discharged into the river.
The report states that US Nitrogen withdrew some water from the river on 19 days of the month but on six of those days only a minimal amount was withdrawn.
The report comes after US Nitrogen told state officials it was considering at least a partial shutdown of its operations in March to conduct compliance testing. US Nitrogen officials did not respond to questions about its shutdown and testing plans.
The February totals show declines in both the water pumped from the river and the amount discharged compared to January. In that month US Nitrogen pumped 13 million gallons from the river and discharged 7.7 million back into the Nolichucky.
In a related development Yara North America, which operates on the same Greene County site, reported that it complied with the limits in its state permit, because the company has yet to begin production.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com