On Future of PES Site: We Must Move Forward Together
The pre-dawn explosion at Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery (PES) on June 21, 2019 rattled more than the windows in the Philadelphia region: it left hundreds of skilled workers unemployed and put the health and safety of local residents at risk. Had it not been for the heroic actions of workers at PES to shut down critical plant operations, the explosion could have unleashed a catastrophic health hazard for Philadelphia and the surrounding region.
Over the course of the last six months, we’ve seen the owners of PES line their pockets with hefty bonuses while the workers, their families, and our community wait for answers.
In conversations with workers, various experts, and local residents, they have been clear that the future of this site must include a plan that protects the workers, the neighbors, and our environment.
Before its closure, PES was home to a talented workforce, most of whom are members of United Steelworkers Local 10–1. In multiple meetings with these men and women, they made clear to me the pride they take in their work, and their individual commitment to safety, that what they do is more than just a job — it is a way of life. We cannot afford to have these men and women relocate to other parts of the country out of necessity. We must support efforts to protect union labor and invest in job training that builds upon this talented workforce to allow them the flexibility of broadening their skills to use in related industries.
But, the PES site has been operated as an oil refinery for roughly 120 years. We cannot ignore this site’s history, nor can we ignore its environmental risks. The CSB report following this incident paints a harrowing picture of the environmental impact of this explosion and what “could have been.” This explosion, caused by a faulty pipe that was long overdue for replacement, released an estimated 3,271 pounds of dangerous hydrofluoric acid into the atmosphere.
The Trump Administration has delayed implementation of necessary regulations to protect our environment and workers. In the last two years, 73 instances similar to PES have occurred across the country, putting workers and surrounding communities at risk. Regulations like the Chemical Disaster Rule, finalized in 2017, took concrete steps to strengthen community preparedness against chemical disasters. The rule included modest but important incident prevention measures, improved emergency response coordination and planning, and community access to safety-related information. This rule was officially overturned by the Trump Administration two weeks ago.
We will continue to push back against this administration’s ill-considered, misguided, destructive, dangerous environmental policies. We have a responsibility to prioritize the health and safety of workers and surrounding communities, and make sure that environmental and public health protections are enforced.
As we navigate the future of the PES site, we must ensure that all parties have a voice at the table. We must do all we can to support the workers, protect the health and safety of local communities, and promote environmental stewardship of this site.
Above all, we must move forward, together.
