Carper Encourages Premcor to Settle Dispute with DNREC

WILMINGTON, DE (Dec. 16, 2004) – In a meeting today with Premcor management, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., strongly encouraged the company to work with Delaware officials to settle a dispute over the installation of new pollution-control equipment and meet a court-ordered deadline to have that equipment in place by the end 2006. “When Premcor acquired the Delaware City refinery from Motiva, it agreed to install by 2006 new equipment to dramatically reduce sulfur dioxide emissions. That deadline should be met, and I encouraged Premcor officials today to do what is necessary to make that happen,” said Carper. “Following my discussions today, I’m optimistic that the company and DNREC can move quickly to settle their dispute over oil production limits so that construction on these new scrubbers can be completed on time.” When completed, the new pollution control equipment will amount to the largest air pollution control project ever seen in Delaware, reducing sulfur dioxide emissions by 90 percent. A 2001 federal court consent decree ordered the new “scrubbers” to be in place by Dec. 31, 2006. But recently, Premcor and DNREC have disagreed over DNREC’s attempt to place limits on the amount of oil processed at the refinery. In a meeting today with Premcor officials, Sen. Carper urged them to move ahead with construction on the new pollution-control equipment and settle the dispute as quickly as possible in the interim period. Carper also met with PACE, the union of Premcor employees, and thanked them for their ongoing commitment to make the refinery clean, safe and productive.