Saturday, July 31, 2021

TDEC Accepts US Nitrogen Test Results

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials have accepted nitrogen emission monitoring test results for US Nitrogen LLC, the Greene County chemical manufacturing company.
In a letter sent Friday to US Nitrogen's Plant Manager Dylan Charles, an official of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation acknowledged the receipt of the test results and indicated they meet the requirements of the company's permits.
The so-called "Relative Accuracy Test Audits" were performed by Southern Air Solutions and designed to assess whether environmental monitoring systems in use by US Nitrogen were performing accurately.
The tests were performed on June 8 and 9 on the company's nitric acid plant and its two steam generating boilers.
The relative accuracy for one boiler was 7.12 per cent. The relative accuracy for the second boiler was 16.99 percent.
"Therefore the division accepts the report as certifying the continued operation" of the boilers and nitric acid plant, the letter from TDEC manager Bryan Parker states.
US Nitrogen submitted over 100 pages of data on the tests on July 8.
In submitting the information, US Nitrogen disclosed that the original test data had been "modified" by the company and an outside firm, Ensafe, a longtime environmental consultant.
In the same report US Nitrogen was identified as a "nitrogenous fertilizer manufacturer." Previously the company had stated that it manufactured ammonium nitrate for use in the production of exlosives by its parent company, Austin Powder.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

USN Aquatic Testing Plan Submitted

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A consulting firm has submitted details of the testing it plans to perform to determine whether the operations of a chemical firm have had an adverse effect on the aquatic life in the Nolichucky River.
Dinkins Biological Consulting LLC submitted its 12-page plan to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The tests will be focused around milemarker 20.8 in the Nolichucky River, the site where U.S. Nitrogen LLC pumps some 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day.
Dinkins said the efforts would "test the biological integrity and diversity of the receiving stream (Nolichucky)."
Just when the tests will be performed was not disclosed but the filing indicates it will likely be over a three month period ending in September. The filing states that TDEC will get notice about two weeks in advance of the testing.
State officials questioned US Nitrogen about the tests which were due to be performed months earlier only after local environmental activist Park Overall questioned why no test results had been disclosed.
US Nitrogen draws million of gallons per month from the river for use in the production of ammonium nitrate and related products. Some 500,000 gallons of river water not needed in production and cooling are pumped back in to the river.
In addition to gathering samples downriver from US Nitrogen's pumping stations, the consulting company also will collect samples upstream from that location.
As a further point of reference the company plans to collect sample from a separate river, the Powell River at McDowell Shoal.
The samplings will be taken within seven days of each other, according to the plan. The state will be informed if conditions force a change in that timetable.
The Dinkins filing states that the details of the testing plan were drawn up after consultation with TDEC officials.
The plan notes that data also will be gathered for comparison purposes from U.S. Geological Service gages along the river.
The plan states that the samples will be gathered in triangular dipnets and they will be brought to another firm, Pennington Associates of Cookeville, for testing. The results will be submitted to TDEC within 30 days of their receipt by Dinkins.
The samples will be "strictly controlled" by Dinkins until they are turned over to Pennington, the report states.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com

Thursday, July 8, 2021

US Nitrogen Submits Emissions Test Data

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

US Nitrogen LLC today submitted over 100 pages of test data which it says shows the company's emissions monitoring devices are functioning properly.
The Greene County chemical firm had the tests performed on it nitric acid plant by AMP Cherokee Environmental Solutions, according to the filing. A second firm, Southern Air Solutions was also involved in the tests performed at the Midway TN facility on June 8.
The company also submitted its monthly report on the amount of water pumped from the Nolichucky River. The amount used, 28.8 million gallons was the highest so far this year. In the 118-page emmisions montoring report, dozens of test categories were listed and all marked as valid.
The report states that US Nitrogen is a "nitrogenous fertilizer manufacturer".The company had not previously described itself as a fertilizer manufacturer but stated the ammonium nitrate was shipped to other locations for use in the production of explosives.
According to the report the company uses a Selective Catalytic Reduction device to control nitrous oxide emissions and catalytic decomposition for N20 emisions control.
The report states that the tests were performed in accordance with standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Attached to the report are a half dozen appendices.
It also states that the original AMP report was "modified" by US Nitrogen and another outside firm, Ensafe.
In the monthly river report the company, a subsidiary of Ohio based Austin Powder, said it drew 28.8 million gallons from the river in June. On 16 separate days during the month it drew more than 1 million gallons.
The highest daily total was 1.2 million gallons pumped from the river on June 19. The June figures compare with May when about 21 million gallons were pumped from the Nolichucky for use in the production of ammonium nitrate.
The report states that 13.6 million gallons of waste water were discharged back into the river during June. On 15 days during the month more than 500,000 gallons were discharged into the Nolichucky. The highest single day discharge of more than 700,000 gallons came on June 17.