Title
Authorizing the Committee on the Environment and the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold hearings to examine the impact of the sale of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions.
Body
WHEREAS, The Refinery Complex in South Philadelphia, currently the site of Philadelphia Energy Solutions' ("PES") defunct oil refinery, has hosted petroleum-related activity since the late 1800s. Owned by Sunoco since the 1980s, PES purchased the facility in 2012 and continued its operations until last year; and
WHEREAS, On the morning of June 21, 2019, there was a major explosion at the Refinery Complex refinery that was heard and felt for miles. The explosion caused a catastrophic fire that was captured on video and circulated on national news. The Philadelphia Fire Department worked quickly to contain the fire and there were no fatalities or serious injuries as a result of the explosion; and
WHEREAS, The next day, PES announced the closure of the Refinery Complex and their intention to sell the property. The facility's closure had an immediate impact on over 1,000 workers who were laid off over the next month; and
WHEREAS, In January 2020, Hilco Redevelopment Partners, a Chicago-based developer specializing in the redevelopment of industrial sites, agreed to purchase the Refinery Complex for $240 million. On February 13, 2020 a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge approved the sale of the PES complex; and
WHEREAS, The PES refinery was previously the largest source of air pollution in Philadelphia. It accounted for 9% of the city's fine particle emissions, 20% of the City's greenhouse gas emissions, and 57% of the City's toxic emissions; and
WHEREAS, With over 100,000 residents living within one mile of the Refinery Complex complex, public health and safety is of utmost concern. Historically, these neighborhoods have been home to lower-income communities of color that have coped with the health effects of living in proximity to this pollution. While some of the long t...
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