these wetlands are worth preserving

 

preserve and protect our wetlands

Parish residents want a public greenspace area with natural areas left pristine and well parochial interests from another parish want heavy industrial use for a pie in the sky narrative. The public greenspace also protects the residential district's historical elementary school, preserves wetlands, and assists with flood waters retention plans.

Save Our St. Bernard #stopportnola SOS Save Our St Bernard Group Forum https://www.facebook.com/groups/850309112536823/

Clearly, this massive terminal does not belong in residential

The State of Louisiana and our nation can progress in international terminaling, container and intermodal rail ports at other more suitable site selections, without expropriation, environmental racism, or the deleterious public health, safety, welfare, environmental, and socio-economic impacts.  

PBF Energy Chalmette finally improving again

 

In communities already overburdened with air pollution and frequent weather events, “every single unauthorized emission event is consequential”, every excess emission amount is harmful.

As EPA concurrently reviews several parts of LDEQ’s air regulations’ SIP (State Implementation Plan to comply with the Clean Air Act), it should implement a comprehensive approach, including permanent solutions for both the sulfur dioxide and benzene levels, and consideration of the cumulative effects of the many different chemicals in the air we are forced to breathe, the public health, human risk factors, and quality of life consequences.

 

PBF Energy's Chalmette Refining benzene update

Under EPA's "Refinery Rules" for benzene emissions, LDEQ sent letter dated February 16 2024 EDMS document 14192807 to PBF Energy's Chalmette refinery because it's rolling annual average Δ C of 14 ug/m3 benzene as of December 27, 2023 was still above the ΔC 9ug/m3 action level; the two week sampling period ΔC 1.8 ug/m3 for December 12 through December 27, 2023 shows improvements, finally. 

• The EPA's benzene action level is 9 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) for the annual average Δc. An exceedance of the action level is not a violation of the regulation, rather it requires the refinery to conduct a root cause analysis and take corrective action to reduce emissions.

PBF Energy's Chalmette fence line benzene monitors have reported elevated benzene levels for a number of years now; some of the higher 2-week sampling data reported as high as 120 ug/m3 benzene 2-week average. There is no public access to the real time benzene levels. The public can access the averaged data on the EPA online dashboard website; use the upper menu to select "refinery name", scroll to lower right, select the tool "monitors" for display of the monitor locations at selected refinery. Switch or toggle that tool to "monitor trend" for display of the two week averages at each monitor since 2019. 

Although as of 3rdQ 2023 the EPA's online dashboard illustrates some improvements at PBF Energy's Chalmette refinery, there's plenty room for improvements to protect public health, especially given PBF Energy's close proximity to vulnerable populations.

In Chalmette, PBF Energy is adjacent to a local Sheriff Department's substation, adjacent to the parish jail, adjacent to the pedestrian / vehicle traffic river ferry, just tenths of a mile from OLPS Elementary School and less than a mile from Chalmette Elementary; it's across the street from family friendly neighborhoods and less than half a mile from a number of mobile home / trailer court neighborhoods. 

Our children deserve better. PBF Energy could be a good neighbor, lower its benzene emissions, and invest in St Bernard -- invest in the enhanced advanced fence line monitoring PBF Energy provides at some of its other refineries. Here are just two examples: select upper menu "monitors" and select chemical.   https://www.torranceair.org/ 

https://www.fenceline.org/martinez/

https://concernedcitizensaroundmurphy.blogspot.com/2024/02/benzene-update.html

PBF Energy benzene update

 PBF Energy's Chalmette Refining benzene update

Under EPA's "Refinery Rules" for benzene emissions, LDEQ sent letter dated February 16 2024 EDMS document 14192807 to PBF Energy's Chalmette refinery because it's benzene fence line monitoring data for 4th Quarter 2023 is above the annual rolling average of  Δ 9ug/m3. At this time there is no public access to 4thQ 2023 data. Below graph displays PBF Energy's Chalmette refinery's average benzene concentration difference for the previous year Sept 2022 through September 19 2023. A red flag indicates a value above the 9ug/m3 action level.

LDEQ requested detailed information on 4thQ 2023 2-week sample results, identified causes of all the benzene levels above Δ9ug/m3, and detailed information on root cause analysis / corrective action plans. That information is forthcoming.

• The EPA's benzene action level is 9 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) for the annual average Δc. An exceedance of the action level is not a violation of the regulation, rather it requires the refinery to conduct a root cause analysis and take corrective action to reduce emissions.

The 2-week benzene sample results for each monitor along an oil refinery fence line can be viewed on EPA's benzene fence line monitoring online dashboard, using the upper menu, select the refinery name, scroll down to the monitor tool / map and toggle to monitor trend. EPA's dashboard has not yet updated PBF Energy's Chalmette refinery's 4thQ 2023 2-week sample results. 

PBF Energy's Chalmette fence line monitors have reported elevated benzene levels for a number of years now; some of the higher 2-week sampling data reported as high as 120 ug/m3 benzene 2-week average. There is no public access to the real time benzene levels.

Although as of 3rdQ 2023 the EPA's online dashboard illustrates some improvements at PBF Energy's Chalmette refinery, there's plenty room for improvements to protect public health, especially given PBF Energy's close proximity to vulnerable populations.

In Chalmette, PBF Energy is adjacent to a local Sheriff Department's substation, adjacent to the parish jail, adjacent to the pedestrian / vehicle traffic river ferry, just tenths of a mile from OLPS Elementary School and less than a mile from Chalmette Elementary; it's across the street from family friendly neighborhoods and less than half a mile from a number of mobile home / trailer court neighborhoods. 

Our children deserve better. PBF Energy could be a good neighbor, lower its benzene emissions, and invest in St Bernard -- invest in the enhanced advanced fence line monitoring PBF Energy provides at some of its other refineries. Here are just two examples: select upper menu "monitors" and select chemical.   https://www.torranceair.org/ 

https://www.fenceline.org/martinez/

https://concernedcitizensaroundmurphy.blogspot.com/2024/02/benzene-update.html