The Delaware City Refinery will be receiving an upgrade, as required by a settlement reached by DNREC and the Delaware City Refining Company Wednesday.
Since the company restarted the refinery in 2011, it has incurred a number of water use violations. The settlement will waive a $116,000 penalty attached to those violations while requiring the refinery to make improvements to reduce its environmental impact. These upgrades include a fish return system and screens to protect fish and other aquatic life.
DNREC secretary David Small says the current screening technology at the refinery needs a serious update.
“The technology that is at the intakes of the refinery right now is outdated and its only really intended to prevent trash from coming into the facility with not much consideration for aquatic life,” said Small.
The cost of installing these new systems is estimated at between $5 million and $10 million, according Small. Screens in the first of three bays will be operational by the end of May, and the other two will be installed by summer of 2016 and 2017.
According to DNREC, the penalty was waived because the installations will take place within the next three years, as opposed several years down the road.
Additionally, Delaware City Refinery’s outdated wastewater discharge permit will also be renewed as a part of the settlement.
In addition to being displeased with the penalty waiver, Green Party member Bernie August is skeptical that installing the fish screen and return systems is an adequate solution to the refinery’s issues.
“It is very high tech - still ineffective," said August. "It’s still warming the water up, where it’s being released into the bay, where it’s not cold. Under the Environmental Protection Act and the Clean Water Act, you’re supposed to use the best technology available.”
There will be public hearings in the coming months to take comments regarding the refinery’s upgrades. The dates have yet to be determined.
