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It indicated that the company would not be mishaps at this facility for far too long.”
able to obtain this document until it met two As of press time, PHRT had not responded
requirements. publicly to EPA’s announcement of its decision
First, it said, the company must demonstrate to impose the PSD permitting requirement. For
that it has carried out detailed air quality analy- its part, the agency has not said when it expects
ses to determine whether pollution levels exceed the company to secure the document.
EPA standards – and if so, make provisions for EPA did say in the statement, though, that it
further productions during the PSD permitting was continuing oversight of the Limetree refin-
process. Second, it said, the company must show ery for the time being and had wrapped up an
that it has made use of the best air pollution con- inspection “to determine the general state of
trol technology available. In the case of the Isla chemical safety at the facility” in September.
refinery, the technology will help effect signif- “During that inspection, the Agency noted
icant reductions in emissions of carbon mon- serious deficiencies in how this facility has been
oxide, hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide and maintained. EPA quickly alerted the company to
particulate matter. the deficiencies and issued a detailed inspection
These new requirements have been put in report, which was also shared with the public.
place, it added, because of the refinery’s prox- EPA is actively discussing the chemical safety
imity to “historically marginalised communities issues with the company and determining next
that are overburdened with pollution.” They are steps to address the issues,” the statement said.
designed to relieve the communities in question “EPA has previously taken numerous enforce-
from polluting events such as the incident that ment actions related to this facility, including
led EPA to issue an emergency order to suspend setting up a community hotline, developing a
operations at the refinery in May 2021, it noted. dedicated website, and engaging regularly with
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan the community.”
stressed that the agency had introduced the The Limetree Bay refinery, formerly known
PSD requirement to ensure that polluters were as Hovensa, was built in the 1960s with an ini-
held accountable and to protect the interests of tial capacity of 525,000 barrels per day and was
marginalised communities. “That is why EPA is gradually expanded to around 645,000 bpd. It
using its full authority under the law to require was run by a joint venture between Hess Corp.
this facility to analyse its impact on air quality (US) and Venezuela’s national oil company
and use the latest air pollution controls before it (NOC) PdVSA, with capacity falling to 500,000
resumes operations,” he stated. “This will ensure bpd by 2010.
protections for St. Croix by requiring the refin- The joint venture shut the facility down in
ery to operate in compliance with environmen- 2012 and then declared bankruptcy in 2015
tal laws designed to protect people’s health and before agreeing to sell it to Limetree Bay Ven-
the environment.” tures in 2016. That company’s subsidiary, Lime-
The agency’s regional administrator, Lisa F. tree Bay Refining, intended to bring 200,000 bpd
Garcia, spoke similarly, saying: “Today we are of processing capacity back online by Decem-
continuing to make good on our promise to ber 2019 but could not meet the deadline. It ran
deliver environmental justice and ensure that into additional delays in 2020 as a result of the
EPA protects the health of every community, coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and then
regardless of race, zip code or income. EPA resumed operations in early 2021. After the
takes seriously our responsibility to the nearby EPA-ordered shutdown, however, it filed for
communities, which have carried the burden of bankruptcy. ™

The refinery has not operated normally since 2012 (Photo: Limetree Bay Ventures)

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