[StBernard] Valero Meraux refinery workers still cleaning oil droplets from cars, buildings after Friday release

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Tue Oct 29 08:25:17 EDT 2013


Valero Meraux refinery workers still cleaning oil droplets from cars,
buildings after Friday release
Print Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune By Mark Schleifstein,
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
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on October 28, 2013 at 6:38 PM, updated October 28, 2013 at 6:40 PM

Workers with the Valero Energy Corp. Meraux refinery on Monday were wiping
down oil-spotted surfaces along St. Bernard Highway and the refinery's old
administration building parking lot, and washing company vehicles stained
with the oil, according to the state Department of Environmental Quality.

The cleanup comes after an incident on Friday about 2 p.m. in which oil was
released from the plant's crude refining unit.

"Most of the oil stayed inside the refinery perimeter, but due to high
winds, some was blown offsite," Valero spokesman Bill Day said. "Some near
neighbors and passersby reported droplets of oil on their cars, so the
refinery took steps to get the cars cleaned."

DEQ spokeswoman Jean Kelly said the company has reported that air monitoring
was "non-detect" during and after the incident at the plant that resulted in
the spray of oil on and off the refinery site. Non-detect means that any
pollutants were below detectable limits.

The company also reported to DEQ that workers on Sunday completed cutting
grass soiled with the oil spray along St. Bernard Highway and the
Mississippi River levee along the plant site, and disposed of the clippings.

"A cleanup on roads bordering the plant required brief road closures, and a
small amount of oil that was seen in the river was boomed off and
recovered," Day said. "No further impact to the community is expected."

The company has not yet filed an official report with DEQ explaining the
cause of the release or how much crude oil was released, Kelly said. Valero
has seven days to file that report.

"The cause of the release is still under investigation," Day said.



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