August 1, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2014
For more information:
Contact: Amanda Shell Jennings
Moxley Carmichael
865-544-0088
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced today the approval of the application by the Greene County Industrial Development Board (IDB) for the construction of a 12-mile double pipeline in the state right-of-way along Highways 340 and 348.
The double pipeline will transport non-potable water from and to the Nolichucky River and will be owned by the IDB to be used as a resource in attracting industry to the county. US Nitrogen and companies co-locating on its campus would be the first users of the double pipeline.
“The Greene County Industrial Development Board is pleased that TDOT has approved our application to construct the double pipeline, enhancing our ability to attract industry to our area,” said Greene County IDB Board Chairman and Greene County Mayor Alan Broyles. “Steady, consistent water access will allow our community to accommodate industry and modern facilities more easily in the future. The high-quality technical jobs that come with companies like US Nitrogen bring much-needed tax revenue and substantial economic impact to our area and will create a brighter future for our children.”
The double pipeline will be located in state right-of-ways and on property that is owned by the IDB. Once constructed, the pipelines will be below grade, including the primary pumps at the Nolichucky River, and will be virtually undetectable by sight and sound. The pipeline will be serviced via manholes. Areas of archaeological interest will be avoided, and the project will not affect the view from the historic Conway Bridge
The pipeline has been stringently permitted by local, state and federal agencies. Every stream that is crossed is permitted and monitored by Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and the river is monitored on an ongoing basis by TDEC and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
“US Nitrogen is pleased to partner with the IDB to provide funding for the project and serve as a contractor to build, maintain and operate the pipelines for the IDB at no cost to Greene County taxpayers,” said US Nitrogen Plant Manager Justin Freeark. “East Tennessee is our home, and this pipeline represents a significant investment by our company in the future growth of this community. US Nitrogen is committed to environmental responsibility and is complying with federal, state and local regulations consistent with our stringent environmental permits.”
The water drawn from the Nolichucky River will travel to a high-efficiency filtration system located outside US Nitrogen’s production facility. Filtered water will enter the production facility and after processing be sent to the Lick Creek Valley Wastewater Treatment Facility. The natural material removed through the filtration process will return to the Nolichucky River and will not enter the US Nitrogen production facility.
For more than a year, US Nitrogen has consulted with community leaders, elected officials and utility officials to discuss a viable method of providing a consistent, uninterrupted 1,000-gallons-per-minute water flow to its facility and a treatment facility to treat the outflow from the facility. A thorough third-party analysis determined that existing infrastructure was unable to accommodate large-scale industry needs. Based on these factors and advice from TDEC, a double pipeline owned by the IDB was determined to be the best option for US Nitrogen and the community.
The $130,000-per-mile construction cost of the pipeline, in addition to its maintenance and operation, will be shouldered by US Nitrogen, and represents a significant investment in Greene County. To date, US Nitrogen has already invested more than $100 million of a total of the more than $200 million total project cost – the largest capital project in Greene County’s history.
Once fully operational in early 2015, US Nitrogen’s state-of-the-art facility will provide more than 80 technical jobs with an average hourly wage that is double the state’s average and a total annual payroll of $4 million. More than 85 percent of current US Nitrogen permanent employees are from Greene County and its surrounding counties.
