Refinery Reform Campaign visits DC
April 16, 17 2002

Photos by Vivian Stockman

OVEC well knows the pollution/health problems associated with petrochemical refineries from our ten years of work demanding that the Catlettsburg, Kentucky Ashland Oil Refinery clean up its emissions. The tools we used in our successful efforts to clean up the air around that plant are at risk. That's why, even though refineries are not a focus of OVEC's current work, we were invited to join the Refinery Reform Campaign's (RRC)  April visit to DC. 

The blue skies, fluffy white clouds and abundant flowers of the nation's Capitol in spring were a breath of fresh air for the RRC activists visiting DC, who live right up on the fence line of some of the worst polluters in the nation. But the "Clear Skies" (more aptly named "Clear Lies") proposal wafting out of the White House is a toxic storm cloud gathering. That proposal, coupled with the Bush Administration's push to gut the New Source Review of the Clean Air Act means the air everywhere, even in the breathing zone of the rich and powerful, could get much dirtier. In West Virginia alone, over 200 industrial plants (coal-fired power plants, chemical plants and others) could increase their toxic emissions if Bush grants polluters their wish-list. See Save the Clean Air Act. 

So we visited DC to inform staffers of friendly Representatives and Senators that they must do all they can to stop Bush from gutting the New Source Review provisions of the Clean Air Act. 

Juanita Stewart, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana tells staffers of Senators Leahy, Lieberman, Boxer and Corzine the health horrors she and her neighbors suffer living next to refineries. "There is so much injustice to minority communities," she tells them. 

Waiting in the halls to visit with California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, RRC recipient of the "Clean Air Champion" award. 

South Philadelphia resident Brenda Dunmeyer Kennari watches Dorothy Marcel, from Port Arthur, Texas give the thumbs up signal. Dorothy you look like you belong in that office! Thumbs up for citizens taking action! 

We also go to meet with Eric Schaeffer as he released a study on premature deaths associated with power plant pollution. Schaeffer had recently quit his job at the Environmental Protection Agency as chief of civil enforcement because the Bush Administration is hampering efforts to enforce existing environmental laws even as it pushes for the gutting of those laws. For more info on the study, click on the links in below. 

Study Sees 6,000 Deaths From Power Plants

Study Says 8 Utilities' Pollution Causes Premature Deaths

Study links cola-fired power plants to premature deaths

More info in the sidebar links.

Refinery Reformers April 16, 17, 2002:

Christine Cox and Laura Cox of the Refinery Reform Campaign and the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, where 35 refineries and chemical plants have violated New Source review and other Clean Air Act provisions. A health survey shows extreme health problems from pollution 

Iris Carter & Nia Butler, from Norco, Louisiana, suffering health problems from Shell refinery & chemical plants that surround them.

Juanita Stewart, from North N. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, suffering fron Exxon refinery and chemical plants expansions and violations of Clean Air Act. Plants now trying to expand and use pollution credits by "double-dipping."

Anne Rolfes, Louisiana Bucket Brigade Director. Helps citizens document toxic exposures by taking air samples and other methods.

Denny Larson, Coordinator of the Refinery Reform Campaign, member of the Texas SEED Coalition. Coordinates refinery neighbors fighting for clean air.

Don Winston, of the Concerned Citizens of New Sarpy, Louisa, fighting Orion refinery which dumps more pollution through "accidents" than allowed via their entire permitted emissions. May 2000 - March 2002 = 5 million plus pounds in excess emissions.

Hilton Kelley and Dorothy Marcel, from Port Arthur Texas, the nation's poorest African American community surrounded by refineries and chemical plants. Premcor refinery wants to expand and build 5 new units without New Source Review, while increasing pollution by 525 tons.

Mabel Mallard, Myrtle Carter, Brenda Dunmeyer Kennari, from South Philadelphia. They live close to the Sun refinery and suffer extreme heath problems. Sun has expanded to make new low sulfur gasoline and INCREASE local pollution.

Vivian Stockman, from the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition in West Virginia, representing communities suffering from refineries, chemical plants and coal pollution.