Event

The Philadelphia Refinery, now Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) located at 3144 Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, processes 330,000 barrels a day of crude oil for retail throughout the Northeast Atlantic region. It is bordered by the Grays Ferry and Point Breeze neighborhoods.  While the refinery provides jobs and economic benefits to some nearby residents, the surrounding community has long been concerned about the possible impacts of exposure to air toxics, or hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), from the refinery and other industrial sites. Yet residents have little access to information on HAPs in the vicinity, and few opportunities to influence policy decision-makers in order to reduce risks from environmental exposures. Two potential sources of valuable information on HAPs are the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) database, and data from an air monitoring campaign at the refinery that will be conducted by Philadelphia Air Management Services (AMS) starting in the Summer of 2013 to 2015.  EPA R3 and Office of Research and Development are also working in South Philadelphia to develop cost effective methods for detecting fugitive emissions and monitoring air pollution concentration levels at industrial facilities fencelines.  This project is intended to assist in building community capacity to participate in policy decisions to reduce exposure to environmental hazards at the refinery and nearby industrial sites.

EPA Region III worked closely with City of Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health Air Management Services (AMS), the University of Pennsylvania, and a number of South Philadelphia-based community groups to engage with the South Philadelphia community and empower them to explore opportunities for addressing their high-priority environmental issues.

http://publichealth.drexel.edu/academics/faculty/Carol%20Ann%20Gross-Davis/