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NEW: A pollution-plagued oil refinery that shut down during the last recession is now on the verge of reopening in the U.S. Virgin Islands, thanks to the aid of EPA chief Andrew Wheeler.
https://www.eenews.net/stories/1061609813 1/6
https://www.eenews.net/stories/1061609813 1/6
The Limetree Bay refinery, formerly one of the world's largest, is in a poor, predominantly black and Latino area of St. Croix.
https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/11/15/document_gw_01.pdf 2/6
https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/11/15/document_gw_01.pdf 2/6
The refinery entered into a $700 million settlement with EPA in 2011 to resolve alleged air pollution violations. It closed the following year and is now owned by a ArcLight Capital Partners, a private equity firm with ties to Trump.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/02/here-are-the-29-business-leaders-headed-to-china-with-donald-trump.html 3/6
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/02/here-are-the-29-business-leaders-headed-to-china-with-donald-trump.html 3/6
ArcLight wants to reopen the refinery so it can cash in on an international low-sulfur fuel standard taking effect in January.
@EPAAWheeler has been happy to help, documents show.
https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/11/15/document_gw_08.pdf 4/6
@EPAAWheeler has been happy to help, documents show.
https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/11/15/document_gw_08.pdf 4/6
The rushed Limetree permitting process could serve as a pilot for "a broader broader customer liaison concept," the EPA official Wheeler chose to lead the effort said.
https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/11/15/document_gw_05.pdf 5/6
https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/11/15/document_gw_05.pdf 5/6
Environmentalists are troubled by the agency's apparent shift from protect the environment and public health toward aiding polluting businesses like Limetree.
"They should not be considered a customer," a former EPA regional chief said. "EPA is supposed to be the regulator." 6/6
"They should not be considered a customer," a former EPA regional chief said. "EPA is supposed to be the regulator." 6/6
