TDEC Concerned Over Possible Excess Emissions

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Citing a discrepancy in data submitted by a major chemical company, Tennessee environmental regulators say they are concerned that the company may have exceeded set permit limits on nitrous oxide emissions.
In a two-page letter sent yesterday to Dylan Charles of US Nitrogen LLC, an official of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is asking the Greene County firm to recalculate the amount of nitrous oxide emitted from the Midway plant going back to the third quarter of 2017.
Bryan Parker, the TDEC official, wrote that US Nitrogen should make the new calculations based on the corrected data US Nitrogen submitted on Aug. 24 of this year.
Citing those revised figures, Parker wrote, "In reviewing this situation, the division has concerns over the potential for excess emissions to have occurred but not being reported due to the calculation discrepancy."
Parker wrote that the new calculations "will serve to veriy that no excess emissions occurred during the time period when the emissions were not being properly reported."
He added that if US Nitrogen is able to ascertain when the discrepancy first occurred then nitrous oxide emissions will only have to be recalculated from that point forward.
Parker, however, added that the corrected data must be accompanied by a letter explaining "why this issue occurred."
Parker said the revised data and the explanation should be submitted along with the company's next semi-annual report on nitrous oxide emissions.
Parker's letter was sent in response to US Nitrogen's latest semi-annual report on nitrous oxide emissions from the nitric acid plant and a steam generating boiler. The report covered the first six months of 2020.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

US Nitrogen Pumps 18 million River Gallons

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Greene County chemical firm pumped more than 18 million gallons from the Nolichucky River during November, according to a report filed with Tennessee environmental regulators.
The monthly report from US Nitrogen LLC shows the company pumped more than a million gallons from the river on three separate days including 1.3 million on Nov. 18.
The company uses the river water in the production of ammonium nitrate.
The company also reported it dumped nearly 8 million gallons of excess water back into the Nolichucky.
In a related development the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issue an amended permit to Yara North America, which occupies the same Midway site as US Nitrogen.
Under the permit Yara agrees to cap its production in any 12 month period to 72,000 tons. The permit also caps nitrous oxide emissions at 19.6 tons in any 12 month period or 4.5 pounds per hour.
The permit expires on Dec. 3, 2022.

US Nitrogen Assessed Emissions Fee

Tennessee environmental officials have billed a Greene County firm a $3,647 annual fee due to the volume of emissions from its Midway manfacturing facility.
The assessment, known technicaly as a Non Title V Emission Fee, is required from emission sources that have allowable emissions of less than 100 tons per year. The fee is set at $18.75 per ton of allowable emissions.
US Nitrogen became subject to the tax when it changed its license status in December of 2019 to conditional major operating permit.
The notice of the assessment was sent this week to Kim Ryans, a US Nitrogen environmental manager.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com