(VI Consortium) Limetree Bay said Friday night that it has acknowledged the EPA’s 60-day shutdown order of its oil refining operations, stating that it voluntarily shutdown the refinery portion of the plant two days ago on Wednesday, following a massive flare incident captured by the Consortium that sent plumes or smoke mixed with oil particles billowing west of St. Croix.
The EPA said Friday it took the major step to shutdown refining at the facility “due to multiple improperly conducted operations that present an imminent risk to public health.”
In its release Friday evening, Limetree said it would focus on cleanup to impacted communities while continuing to investigate the incident. “As was announced previously, the Company voluntarily shut down the refinery on Wednesday, May 12, following the flaring incident caused by an upset at the Coker unit,” said Jeff Rinker, Limetree Bay CEO. “Our current focus is on investigating and cleaning up areas of the community affected by the incident and cooperating with the EPA in preparing the refinery for a safe and environmentally-compliant restart.”
Limetree noted that the EPA’s order does not impact its terminal operations.
