US Nitrogen Application Questioned

By Walter F. Roche Jr.


Tennessee environmental officials have raised questions about an application form recently submitted by a chemical manufacturing firm and are asking whether the company is producing chemicals for other purposes than those currently approved.
In an e-mail to US Nitrogen's Stephen Wallace, TDEC's Maybelle Sparks wrote that an application submitted by US Nitrogen on April 27 contained language that "seems to imply that some ANSOL (Ammonium Nitrate Solution) may be used for purposes other than the manufacture of explosives."
"Will ANSOL be used for any other purpose," the email concludes.
The April 27 US Nitrogen application was for the renewal of the permit that allows the Midway firm to discharge effluent back into the Nolichucky River.
The email also warns US Nitrogen that because of the notice of incompleteness, the agency may request additional submissions in the future.
The language sparking the inquiry refers to secondary operations that may also include production of calcium nitrate and compresed carbon dioxide gas.
Those products, according to prior filings, are actually to be produced by two companies, Praxair and Yara, sharing the Midway site with US Nitrogen.
In another development TDEC officials reported that US Nitrogen successfully completed testing of its operations on May 14 and 15.
TDEC spokeswoman said the results of the emissions factor test will be used to establish parameters to determine the company's continued compliance with its permits.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

US Nitrogen Submits Test Plans

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Greene County chemical firm has submitted a 15-page document detailing how tests will be conducted to determine if the Midway facility is operating in compliance with permits issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
US Nitrogen LLC, which manufactures ammonium nitrate and related products, submitted the details of how tests will be conducted to show compliance limits for emissions of ammonia and visible emissions. The tests will be conducted by a third party, AMP Cherokee Environmental Solutions.
The US Nitrogen submission also provides a detailed description of the three step process of manufacturing nitric acid, a key component in the process.
According to the filing the test will determine if the company's pollution control equipment including a selective catalytic reduction unit adequately controls nitrous oxide and related emissions.
The testing document states that the process produces nitric acid by combining nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen tetroxide with water.
Under the permit US Nitrogen is limited to the production of 600 tons of nitric acid per day. Under the test protocol a minimum daily production level of 451 tons.
A series of charts and diagrams show where AMP Cherokee will collect samples to determine compliance.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

US Nitrogen Water Use Report

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

US Nitrogen LLC pumped only 13 million gallons of water from the Nolichucky River in the month of April, according to a report filed by the Greene County chemical firm with Tennessee environmental regulators.
The one-page monthly report filed with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation also shows that on nine days, including April 13-15, during the 30 day period only a minimal amount was withdrawn. In the prior month the company reported taking 18.65 million gallons from the river.
Operating under a series of special state permits the Midway company is able to draw millions of gallons of water per year for use in the manufacture of ammonium nitrate and related projects.
The report shows that on four days during the month the company drew more than one million gallons from the river. The highest single day total was 1.19 million gallons drawn on April 28.
According to the report the company discharged 5.4 million gallons of waste water back into the river. On 10 of those days only a minimal amount was discharged. The highest single day discharge was 486,000 gallons on April 1. That compares with 9.4 million gallons discharged into the river in March.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

TDEC To Check USN NOX Emissions

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials have told a local activist that they will consider the results of recently performed performance tests at a Greene County chemical firm to ensure that it is operating within specified emission limits.
In an email to Park Overall, James Johnston of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said that while the purpose of the recent performance tests was different from the initial 2016 performance test at US Nitrogen LLC, the agency will review the test results from tests performed from April 13-15 and determine if those results indicate the company is in compliance with limits on nitrous oxide emissions.
The email to Overall comes just one day after TDEC approved an amendment to US Nitrogen's operating permit. The company had requested approval for an alternative method of determining compliance with emission limits.
The permit was initially issued late last year. It will not expire until April 1, 2029.
Under the permit US Nitrogen is limited to emissions of .38 pounds per ton on ammonia produced. The permit also sets limits on emissions from two ammonia trains the facility utilizes.
US Nitrogen had requested a change in its permit on March 24 and Overall had responded on April 7 requesting that the recently completed performance tests be considered in determining compliance.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com