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Senator-At-Large Expresses Concern About EPA Findings At The Port Hamilton Refinery

John McCarthy
Plans to Reopen Limetree Bay Refinery Have St. Croix Residents Concerned

The St. Croix neighborhood of Clifton Hill overlooks a quieted Limetree Bay Refinery on Tuesday, May 25 after a stack fire and massive oil flare caused a 60-day shutdown ordered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Clifton Hill residents, many of whom migrated to St. Croix from nearby Vieques, are no strangers to the refinery’s discharges under its previous owner, Hovensa. But the most recent shower of oil on their homes, cars, gardens and cisterns was the second in little over three months as the beleaguered 60-year-old refinery struggled to resume operations after an eight-year hiatus. Credit: Patricia Borns

CHRISTIANSTED — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the federal government just
issued an inspection report of the Port Hamilton refinery on St. Croix, and its findings give
cause for great concern for both the government of the Virgin Islands and the people of
the Virgin Islands in general, Senator-At-Large Angel Bolques said.

On August 8, 2022, employees at the refinery discovered what is classified as a pile of petroleum coke smoldering, which triggered a series of automatic alarms; experts then flew in to assist with suppressing the burning pile of petroleum fuel and then scheduled a comprehensive tour of the entire facility by EPA, according to Bolques.

Data collected from last month’s tour chronicled in the recently released inspection report significant environmental hazards currently present at the refinery.

“I was distressed to read the findings of EPA’s Inspection Report and to learn of the potential dangers posed by these existing conditions,” Bolques stated. “As the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, Justice, and Public Safety, I am sensitive to the need for unprecedented communication and collaboration between federal and local government agencies to marshal the resources necessary to instill systemic change and safety at the facility, to hold the owners of the refinery responsible and to safeguard Virgin Islanders from environmental disasters,” Senator Bolques said. “The Legislature held hearings over the summer with representatives from Port Hamilton
Refining and Transportation, and now given this newly published report, I look forward to working with all the relevant stakeholders to get to the bottom of the issues and hope for a withstanding resolution moving forward. These concerns can impact our people’s health, including air pollution, even contamination of waterways and soil, and psychosocial stress from living near such a potentially hazardous environment. I want the people of St. Croix to know that I understand the issues intimately as I grew up in Peters Rest and remember the scents and columns of smoke as a child.”

To read the full report, please click on the link below:

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-10/NEW%20EPA%E2%80%99s%20Sept.%202022,%20Inspection%20Report%20Port%20Hamilton%20Refining%20and%20Transportation%20LLLP,%20CAA%20General%20Duty%20Clause%20.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1IQlzLsFKYUuob8NpckjQYTM9UCptU7lcARAkX6z7VnkaPKwQgJx2VfQk

By SENATOR ANGEL BOLQUES JR./SENATOR-AT-LARGE, 34th Legislature

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