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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining and Marketing LLC (Formerly: Sunoco Incorporated Girard Point) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Cleanup Status

**NOTE – During the COVID-19 pandemic, EPA wants to assure the community that Evergreen continues to conduct all the required remedial activities under EPA and PADEP oversight. “Remediation services” are considered essential in Pennsylvania and our surrounding states. These activities include normal operation of all groundwater recovery as well as sewer ventilation and biofiltration remediation systems installed at the Facility. Investigations and remedy planning work (report update drafting, virtual meetings, etc.) and field work (operation & maintenance of current remedial systems, well sampling, well installation confirmation, etc.) continue to be implemented by Evergreen.**

The former Sunoco, Inc. Girard Point Philadelphia Refinery is part of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refining and Marketing, LLC Refinery (Facility). The entire PES Facility consists of Girard Point as well as the former Sunoco, Inc. Point Breeze Philadelphia Refinery and the former Sunoco Schuylkill River Tank Farm. The Point Breeze Fact Sheet can be accessed here and Schuylkill River Tank Farm Fact Sheet can be accessed here.

RCRA Corrective Action activities at this Facility are being conducted under the One Cleanup Program Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) jointly between EPA Region 3 and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP).  Sunoco, Inc. submitted a Notice of Intent to Remediate (NIR) pursuant to of the Pennsylvania Land Recycling and Environmental Remediation Standards Act (Act 2) in October 2006. The MOA agreement was formalized on November 8, 2011 when EPA and PADEP signed a formal acceptance letter for participation in the program. For more information on the MOA, please visit PA One Clean Up ProgramExit

In September 1989, EPA issued a RCRA Corrective Action permit to Sun Company, Inc. - Girard Point. Two PADEP Consent Order and Agreements (1993 and 2003) require the Facility to address underground free phase hydrocarbon and to perform remediation activities.

The remedial program is based on a site wide cleanup approach.  EPA received a work plan for the site wide cleanup approach under the One Cleanup Program in November 2011. To aid in the investigations and possible remedial efforts, the refinery was divided into Areas of Interest (AOIs) based upon operational areas and risk-based factors. The former Sunoco, Inc. Girard Point portion of the PES Facility consists of:

  • AOI 5 – Girard Point South Tank Field Area, 
  • AOI 6 – Girard Point Chemicals Processing Area, and
  • AOI 7 – Girard Point Fuels Processing Area.

The Facility has performed remedial activities since 1997 including light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) and groundwater recovery as well as sewer ventilation and biofiltration. The most recent January 2019 Groundwater Remediation Status Report (GSRS) indicates that the total cumulative LNAPL that has been recovered is 255,139 gallons. A copy of the January 2019 GSRS can be found on the Facility’s Corrective Action Documents, Reports, and Photographs webpage here.

Site characterization activities have been completed and approved for the three AOIs. AOI 5 was approved on May 2, 2017, AOI 6 was approved on February 26, 2018, and AOI 7 was approved on August 30, 2017.

Evergreen is currently preparing a Final Report and Cleanup Plan for the Facility.

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Site Description

Interactive Map of Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining and Marketing LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


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The Facility is located approximately 5 miles southwest of the center of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Facility is located in a heavily industrialized area adjoining the Schuylkill River.

The Facility occupies approximately 350 acres along Schuylkill River. The Facility is a cracking petroleum refinery consisting of basic processes, including crude processing, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrofluoric alkylation, catalytic reforming, catalytic desulfurization, gasoline treating, sulfur recovery, aromatic extraction, thermal hydro alkylation, and benzene and cumene petrochemical operations.

Corrective Action requires evaluation of legacy releases from Facilities that treated, stored, or disposed of hazardous wastes. In accordance with the contracted sale of the former Sunoco, Inc. Point Breeze Philadelphia Refinery to Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining and Marketing, LLC., Sunoco retains all environmental liabilities for past environmental issues through September 8, 2012. Effective December 30, 2013, Philadelphia Refinery Operations, a series of Evergreen Resources Group, LLC (Evergreen) assumed Sunoco’s legacy environmental liabilities. A captive insurance policy was created to financially assure these environmental issues will be addressed. Environmental liabilities following September 8, 2012 are managed by PES.

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Contaminants at this Facility

The main contaminants in soil and groundwater are hydrocarbons and lead. 

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Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

There are no formal EPA or PADEP reviewed and approved institutional controls implemented at this time.

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Land Reuse Information at this Facility

The Facility use has been continued as a refinery since PES became the owner and operator in September 2012.

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Site Responsibility at this Facility

RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 with assistance from PADEP.

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