By Walter F. Roche Jr.
A complaint about visible emissions from the US Nitrogen LLC's plant in Greene County has triggered an investigation by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
According to agency records the complaint, including a picture of billowing white clouds over the plant, was submitted on Nov. 10 the day the visible emissions appeared.
TDEC reported on its dataviewer that the chemical company has been asked to provide records of its operations on that date. Agency officials were unavailable for comment due to the holiday.
Park Overall, a local environmental activist and a frequent critic of US Nitrogen, said she forwarded the photo after it was sent to her by a resident who lives near the sprawling headquarters of the ammonium nitrate manufacturer.
Under its permit US Nitrogen is required to keep its visible emissions beneath a set limit.
C
Contact:wfrochejr999@gmail.com
Friday, November 26, 2021
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
"System Glitch" Reported at US Nitrogen
By Walter F. Roche Jr.
A Midway chemical firm has told the state that because of a "system glitch," they were forced to estimate the amount of water they withdrew from the Nolichucky River during three days in the month of October.
In a monthly report to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, US Nitrogen plant manager Dylan Charles wrote that the glitch occurred from Oct. 11 to Oct. 13.
As a result, Dylan wrote, the company used the maximum flow rate of the company pumps, 1,350 gallons per minute, to estimate the amount of water drawn on each of those three days.
"It has been determined that the instantaneous flow rate for the water withdrawn had a system glitch for Oct. 11-13," Charles' letter states.
A similar "glitch" has been reported in some previous monthly reports, the most recent was for May.
In the latest report, the company said it withdrew 17.7 million gallons from the river in October, a more than 3 million gallon increase from September when 14.18 million gallons were pumped from the Nolichucky.
US Nitrogen uses the river water in the manufacturing of liquid ammonium nitrate and related products. Under a unique state permit the water is pumped at mile marker 20.8 of the river through a 13-mile pipeline to the company plant in Midway.
The company also pumps excess river water back into the river through a parallel pipeline. In October 5.76 million gallons were discharged back into the Nolichucky. That comparess with 5.97 million gallons discharged back into the river in September.
According to the report filed today, more than 900,000 gallons were pumped from the river on five days in October including the three days beginning Oct. 2. And on two days, Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 a minimal amount was pumped from the river.
Discharges into the river were at minimal amounts on 10 days including Oct. 31. On two days in the month, Oct. 5 and 10, more than 500,000 gallons were discharged.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com
A Midway chemical firm has told the state that because of a "system glitch," they were forced to estimate the amount of water they withdrew from the Nolichucky River during three days in the month of October.
In a monthly report to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, US Nitrogen plant manager Dylan Charles wrote that the glitch occurred from Oct. 11 to Oct. 13.
As a result, Dylan wrote, the company used the maximum flow rate of the company pumps, 1,350 gallons per minute, to estimate the amount of water drawn on each of those three days.
"It has been determined that the instantaneous flow rate for the water withdrawn had a system glitch for Oct. 11-13," Charles' letter states.
A similar "glitch" has been reported in some previous monthly reports, the most recent was for May.
In the latest report, the company said it withdrew 17.7 million gallons from the river in October, a more than 3 million gallon increase from September when 14.18 million gallons were pumped from the Nolichucky.
US Nitrogen uses the river water in the manufacturing of liquid ammonium nitrate and related products. Under a unique state permit the water is pumped at mile marker 20.8 of the river through a 13-mile pipeline to the company plant in Midway.
The company also pumps excess river water back into the river through a parallel pipeline. In October 5.76 million gallons were discharged back into the Nolichucky. That comparess with 5.97 million gallons discharged back into the river in September.
According to the report filed today, more than 900,000 gallons were pumped from the river on five days in October including the three days beginning Oct. 2. And on two days, Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 a minimal amount was pumped from the river.
Discharges into the river were at minimal amounts on 10 days including Oct. 31. On two days in the month, Oct. 5 and 10, more than 500,000 gallons were discharged.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com
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