Far from White House, Caribbean refinery to test Biden's promises on poverty and pollution

Reuters ^ | March 7, 2021 | By Laura Sanicola

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Earlier this month, Loren Hughes, a longtime resident of the U.S. Virgin Islands, noticed specks of an oily substance covering his home, as well as those owned by his neighbors.

For Hughes, 46, it brought back memories of the last time St. Croix’s long-idled refinery was operating, roughly a decade earlier. The refinery restarted last month, bringing back hundreds of jobs - but for nearby residents, they say it also brought difficulty breathing, headaches and watery eyes.

St. Croix is a long way from the U.S. mainland. But the battle over the refinery’s pollution on this Caribbean island and tourist resort is one of the first tests of how the Biden administration will prioritize environmental justice.

As the United States has become the world’s largest fossil fuel producer, opponents have grown more vocal about how many projects, particularly in the petrochemical and refining industries, are situated near low-income areas with large minority populations.

The Biden administration has vowed to make sure new energy projects do not unfairly harm those communities, such as the ones living near the refinery. About 90 million Americans live within 30 miles (50 km) of at least one refinery, according to environmental group Earthjustice.

“This situation offers the first opportunity for the Biden-Harris administration to stand up for the environmental community, and take a strong public health and climate chance stance concerning fossil fuels,” said John Walke, senior attorney and director of clean air programs with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

[ProtectOurFreedom]

…opponents have grown vocal about how petrochemical and refining industries are situated near low-income areas with large minority populations.

Those evil people who always site those plants in low-income areas. Put those plants on Rodeo Drive or the Miracle Mile.

Whoops...the minority populations ARE converting both to good plant sites.

[marktwain]

As the United States has become the world’s largest fossil fuel producer, opponents have grown more vocal about how many projects, particularly in the petrochemical and refining industries, are situated near low-income areas with large minority populations.

I would bet they have the arrow of causality exactly backwards, as usual.

My suspicion is the plant was there first, which lead to the land value being cheap (or staying cheap), so poor people could afford to live there.

On the other hand, who doesn't want to be able to easily walk to work?

Jobs at the refinery are likely some of the best paying jobs in the US Virgin Islands (somewhat below drug smuggler, but with better reliability and retirement).

You can always find a whiner.

[elpadre]

That refinery is the only industry on the island and not only provides good jobs but also props up the local government. It was built in the 1960’s and at that time provided fuel oil for New England states. During those days it was always subject to OSHA regulations and inspections, probably still is. It is located on the south side of an island on which the prevailing winds are out of the Northeast. Now what’s the problem???

[bert]

The Napolitano law firm will be there soon rounding up a few people that can be trained to testify against the refinery and then win the lawsuit so that everybody on the island with any complaint can share in the judgement.

Napolitano of course gets 50% of everybody’s take

The Napolitano law firm including every employee down tot the girl answering the phones, is an American enemy

[Cen-Tejas]

......I lived on St.Croix for about a year in 2012. Their government is, like ours, hopelessly corrupt. To even suggest that the air is smelly or there are a few flakes of oil on a house is ludicrous and laughable because it is not even in the top ten of problems for St. Croix.

St. Croix’s problems are all related to corruption bred by racism. You can’t run a lemonade stand without a government permit and if your white you better find a black partner before you get can get a lemonade permit and even that will take a year or two. This dynamic (systemic reverse racism) effectively blocks investment ergo progress in St. Croix.

[Chode]

iirc, the reason the plant closed in the first place was because the EPA told HOVENSA they had to make >$ONE-BILLION in upgrades to stay open, HOVENSA said not worth it and closed the plant

i'm pretty sure those upgrades were never made, so... how are they even allowed to be open?

Venz crude is like sludge anyway