EPA Orders Limetree Bay to Shut Down for 60 days, Putting Plant Restart in Peril
CHRISTIANSTED — U.S. regulators on Friday ordered the Limetree Bay refinery on St. Croix to cease operations for at least 60 days, throwing the multibillion-dollar overhaul of the massive plant into jeopardy.
The south shore refinery has suffered several financial and operational setbacks since its private equity owners sought to restart the 1,500 acre facility idled since 2012. It voluntarily stopped processing this week after showering nearby homes with an oily mist for the second time this year.
The incident exceeded the plant’s permit for sulfur dioxide emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said. The EPA ordered the facility closed “due to multiple improperly conducted operations that present an imminent risk to public health” and signaled it might take further action.
Limetree Bay spokeswoman Erica Parsons did not respond to requests for comment. On Thursday, a malfunction in a processing unit led the company to send staff to inspect local properties. It advised residents not to drink from rainwater cisterns.
Read more: https://vifreepress.com/2021/05/epa-orders-limetree-bay-to-shut-down-for-60-days-putting-plant-restart-in-peril/