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Nitrogen withdrew some water from the river on 19 days of the month but on six of those days only a minimal amount was withdrawn.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.
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