By Walter F. Roche Jr.
Tennessee environmental officials have ordered a Greeene County firm to develop a corrective action plan to ensure that it complies with the testing requirements under its state permits.
In a two-page letter sent this week to US Nitrogen, an official of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation also told company officials they will have to hold off on a scheduled bio-assessment test until next year. The test had been scheduled for this week.
Dane Cutshaw, a TDEC environmental manager, wrote that under its state permit the bio-assesment of the Nolichucky River must be performed at a time of low flow and high temperature, conditions not likely to be achieved until 2021.
In the letter to Plant Manager Dylan Charles, Cutshaw noted that a US Nitrogen official had promised that the bio-assessment would be performed before Oct. 31, 2020.
The test is required to assess the impact on the river and endangered species from US Nitrogen's use of the river.
The company pumps milllions of gallons from the Nolichucky for use in the production of ammonium nitrate and related products. The chemical firm also discharges wastewater back into the river.
Cutshaw wrote that in addition to the test in 2021, US Nitrogen must conduct a second bio-assessment by 2025.
He told the Charles that the corrective action plan, due by Dec. 18, must detail how the company will ensure that in the future the company complies with all of its permit requirement. The plan must be submitted by Dec. 18.
Please be aware that failure to comply with your NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit nmay subject you to enforcement action" Cutshaw wrote.
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