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    Complaint

    51665
    WPC
    2/20/2019
    Phone
    Pollution / Spills / Illicit Discharge
    2/20/2019
    20-NOV-2023 12:22PM

    Location based on SITE_ID

    Site ID
    66385
    Site
    US Nitrogen LLC / Yara North America, Inc. / Linde Inc.
    Location
    471 Pottertown Road
    City
    Midway
    Description
    construct and operate a facility to manufacture nitric acid, ammonia, and ammonium nitrate solution
    County
    Greene
    EFO Name
    Johnson City
    Site Owner
    US Nitrogen LLC

    Investigation Results

    NOV
    2/20/2019
    US Nitrogen
    2/25/2019

    Complaint Description and Writeup

    Kim Ryans (US Nitrogen) called BBC on 20-FEB-2019 to report a discharge from the retention pond at the site earlier that day. Ongoing heavy rainfall had filled the pond at a rate faster than water could be removed for disposal. This retention pond had originally discharged as outfall SW6 under TMSP TNR058983, but plant standard operating procedures had been altered to eliminate discharges and recycle the accumulated water into the plant cooling tower and processes to the maximum extent possible. Any excess water from the pond was routinely pumped to the effluent holding ponds for discharge to the Nolichucky River via NPDES TN0081566 outfall 001 as shown on the water flow diagram submitted with the individual NPDES permit application. Ms. Ryans noted that some process contamination of the pond water had occurred over time and that the overflow from the pond was expected to periodically recur as rainfall continued.

    TAR traveled to the site on 20-FEB-2019 to observe the pond condition and the downstream path of the overflow. Possible diversion of some noncontaminated stormwater runoff around the pond was discussed with Ms. Ryans as a means to help maintain available capacity to the maximum extent possible. A written report detailing the events will be submitted.