News Releases from Region 02

EPA Announces Public Comment Period on Draft Clean Air Act Permit for Limetree Bay Facility on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Public Hearing Scheduled for November 8th

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – After comprehensive review and evaluation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a draft Clean Air Act Plantwide Applicability Limit permit for Limetree Bay Terminal and Limetree Bay Refining both located on St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands.

“EPA is working to ensure that Limetree Bay exercises environmental stewardship as they gear-up to start operations, boost the economy and create jobs,” said EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez. “EPA recognizes that safeguarding the environment and public health and promoting economic development go hand-in-hand in the territory and across the nation.”

A plantwide applicability limit is an annual emission limit that allows the facility additional flexibility to make changes in operation or equipment as long as it limits emission increases below levels that trigger new major source permit requirements. The draft permit establishes seven pollutant-specific, plant-wide emission limitations for the facility. Comprehensive unit-specific emissions monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting are required to ensure compliance with permit limits. Ambient air monitoring for three pollutants is required in locations around the facility to help protect public health.

The Limetree Bay Terminals and Limetree Bay Refining facility is a complex, integrated petroleum refinery, consisting of refinery process units and various supporting operations including sulfur recovery plants, steam and electric power generation via boilers and gas turbine cogeneration units, wastewater treatment, and a marine terminal. The facility, a longtime employer in the territory, has historically been capable of receiving and processing many types of crude oil from all over the world.

EPA will post a copy of the draft permit at https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/caa-permitting/caa-permits-issued-epa-region-2

A public hearing will be held, and the public can comment on the draft permit for 45 days once the public notice is published in the newspaper.

Additionally, EPA will hold an informal public information session on November 7, 2019 at the University of the Virgin Islands, Albert A. Sheen Campus in St. Croix at 6:30 p.m. Representatives from EPA will be available to answer questions about the draft permit.

Written comments on the draft permit may be mailed to: Ms. Suilin Chan, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 Office, Permitting Section, 290 Broadway, 25th Floor, Broadway, New York, NY 10007

A formal public hearing on the Draft EPA Clean Air Act Plantwide Applicability Limit permit for Limetree Bay Terminal and Limetree Bay Refining, St. Croix will be held at the University of the Virgin Islands, Albert A. Sheen Campus in St. Croix on Nov. 8, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. During the formal hearing, EPA will not be able to answer questions but will instead make a statement and take comments from the public. A court reporter will record all of the comments made to EPA during that hearing. EPA will consider all public comments received during the public comment period and public hearing before making a final determination. 

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