US Nitrogen's Visible Emissions Probed

By Walter F.. Roche Jr.

Tennessee environmental officials have been quietly investigating a complaint of excess visible emissions in mid-February at a manufacturing facility in Greene County.
A series of emails only released this week though dated back to February show the inquiry concerns a complaint of excess visible emissions on Feb. 15 at the US Nitrogen LLC facility in Midway Greene County. Several of those emails were labeled "complaint follow-up."
In the email string posted this week, US Nitrogen officials have responded to data requests on such issues as the weather conditions and equipment temperature readings for the month of February.
Officials of the state Department of Environment and Conservation, including Ronnie Wilhoit, have sent the information requests to Kim Ryans, a US Nitrogen compliance official.
A TDEC data site lists an opacity complaint registered on Feb. 15, 2022 with the notation, "No Violation Found." In an April 14 email to Wilhoit, Ryans wrote, "As discussed, US Nitrogen did not undergo any startup activities or malfunctions on Feb. 15, 2022. "Also I have attached the cooling tower story board," the email concludes.
Other data submitted by US Nitrogen in response to TDEC's requests include ammonia injection rates recorded in January for the nitric acid plant and information on the "non-contact cooling process."
"Please find the requested data regarding the Feb. 15, 2022 complaint," Ryans wrote in one email to Wilhoit.
Several complaints about excess visible emissions at the Midway complex have been filed by local environmental activist Park Overall, but each of those were labeled as "unfounded" by TDEC.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com