TDEC Approves US Nitrogen Chemical Shift

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Tennessee officials have given their approval for a Greene County chemical plant to shift the chemicals being used to partially purify millions of gallons of water the company draws from the Nolichucky River.
In a one-page letter to US Nitrogen, Vojin Janjic said the company can go ahead with its plans, but he cautioned that two of the proposed treatment plans could actually worsen an algae problem the company has been trying to eliminate.
Janjic also wrote that the approval is conditional on the company maintaining the level of pollutants being sent back to the river to a so-called de minimis level.
US Nitrogen plant manager Dylan Charles had requested approval of four different treatment scenarios in a letter dated May 20. The request, however, was not posted on the TDEC web site until late last week.
"Increased levels of phosphates were observed in the facility's effluent holding pond, causing excessive algae growth,"
Janjic wrote, adding that an anti-scalant was the apparent source.
"We support all optimization processes that would result in reduction of discharged pollutants," Janjic continued.
"We approve the proposed alternative operating scenarios," Janjic added, stressing that the approval was conditional on any pollutants in the discharge to the river must remain below de minimis level.
"It is unclear, however," Janjic added how scenarios 3 and 4 would help with phosphorous loading and corresponding algae growth."
Citing tables submitted by US Nitrogen, Janjic said it appeared that in two of the four scenarios increase phosphate loading would actually increase.
US Nitrogen draws millions of gallons of water per week for use in the production of ammonium nitrate, but the company first treats the water at a treatment plant located on land owned by the local industrial development authority.