Resources
Pollution Accountability at
St. Croix Refinery
On this page is listed quick facts, details about the appeal, news articles (local and national), and other pertinent information related to Limetree Bay, refinery operations, pollution, and other resources.
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The S.E.A., the Center for Biological Diversity, and Sierra Club, in collaboration with Natural Resources Defense Council, Vermont Law School’s Environmental Justice Clinic and The Neville Law Firm LLC, filed a legal appeal on February 3 against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) challenging the high pollution levels allowed for the Limetree Bay refinery operations and requesting better considerations for environmental justice on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
We want EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board to review Limetree Bay’s Plantwide Applicability Limit (PAL) permit.
Downloadable
Fact Sheet
EPA Specific Links
LEGAL: LINKS TO PAL PERMIT AND EAB DOCUMENTS
Virgin Islands, EPA Region 2 (Dec. 2, 2020), contact Elias Rodriguez (rodriguez.elias@epa.gov)
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Limetree Bay PAL Air Permit Administrative Record: Regulations.gov docket
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​PAL PERMIT APPEAL TO ENVIRONMENTAL APPEALS BOARD
SEA, CBD, & Sierra Club Docket (CAA 20-02)
LIMETREE POLLUTION INCIDENTS
EPA investigating Limetree Bay refinery’s contamination of cisterns on St. Croix, The Virgin Islands Daily News (Mar. 15, 2021), written by Suzanne Carlson
Limetree Bay Releases Timeline of Flare Incident, St. Croix Source (Mar. 4, 2021), Press Release
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Limetree Bay Refinery Says Large Flare Part of Restart Work, St. Thomas Source (Jan. 14, 2021), Source Staff
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National News Stories
The Islands Where It Rained Oil, Washington Post (March 24, 2021), written by Juliet Eilpern, Darryl Fears, and Salwan Georges
Far from White House, Caribbean refinery to test Biden’s promises on poverty and pollution, Reuters (Mar. 7, 2021), written by Laura Sanicola
Trump admin provides ‘customer’ service to troubled refinery, E&E News (Nov. 21, 2019), written by Corbin Hiar
Environmental Justice
Fighting Environmental Racism in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont Law School (Feb. 19, 2021), written by Lanessa Owens-Chaplin, Zoe Souder, and Stephanie Leombruno
ENVIRONMENTAL APPEALS BOARD PETITION
Environmental groups file legal action to stop ‘pollution-plagued’ Limetree refinery, The Virgin Island Daily News (Feb. 4, 2021), written by A.J. Rao
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Environmental Groups and Limetree Refinery Both Challenging Terms of Refinery Permit, The St. Thomas Source (Feb. 4, 2021), written by Bill Kossler
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Greens challenge permit for troubled Virgin Islands refinery, E&E News (Feb. 3, 2021), written by Kelsey Brugger
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Refinery Reactivation: Petition Before the U.S. EPA Environmental Appeals Board Challenging Plantwide Applicability Limit Air Permit, JD Supra (Feb. 16, 2021), written by Walter Wright
Green Groups Call Limetree Bay An ‘Environmental Monster,’ Ask Biden’s EPA to Shut ‘Dirty Refinery’ Down, V.I. Free Press (Feb. 3, 2021)
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Limetree Bay Oil Refinery, Trump-era EPA Challenged for Lax Pollution Standards, Center for Biological Diversity (Feb. 3, 2021)
Americas: Environmentalists File Legal Action Against Limetree Bay Refinery, Bunkerspot (Feb. 8, 2021), written by Rhys Berry
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On Heels of Refining Restart at Limetree Bay, Four Environmental Groups File Lawsuit to Shut it Down,
V.I. Consortium (Feb. 4, 2021), written by Ernice Gilbert
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Environmental groups sue over federal permit for Virgin Islands refinery, The Hill (Feb. 3, 2021), written by Zack Budryk
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Environmental groups challenge EPA permit for Limetree Bay refinery after controversial plant reopens, Jurist (Feb. 7, 2021), written by Sarah Kimball Stephenson
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EPA Challenged for Lax Pollution and Environmental Justice Standards, St. Croix Environmental Association (Feb. 4, 2021), written by Sara Zuckerman
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Groups Challenge Reopening of Controversial Limetree Bay Oil Refinery in U.S. Virgin Islands, NRDC (Feb. 3, 2021)
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V.I. Coastal Zone Management
CZM Streamlines Limetree Permits, St. Croix Source (Sept. 27, 2019), written by Susan Ellis
LIMETREE BAY REFINERY NEWS
Exclusive: Price of Caribbean refinery overhaul nearly doubles to $2.7 billion as startup nears, Reuters (June 22, 2020), written by Laura Sanicola
Exclusive: BP gives Caribbean refinery more time to hit operating targets – sources, Reuters (Jan. 6, 2021), written by Laura Sanicola
Exclusive: BP may cut oil supply to Caribbean refinery if it stays idle – sources, Reuters (Oct. 15, 2020), written by Laura Sanicola
A Hedge Fund With Ties to Trump Is Polluting One of Brooklyn’s Poorest Communities, Vice News (Sept. 25, 2020), written by Geoff Dembicki