City's report on refinery site: A cleaner use, while desirable, isn't likely in the short term

The City of Philadelphia doesn’t see a cleaner use for the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery complex in the near future. It does, however, recommend one for the long term, in a report that concludes the work of the advisory group created in the wake of the catastrophic June 21 explosion and fire at the South Philadelphia site.

The Refinery Advisory Group conducted six public meetings during the summer. It was composed of more than 20 members, representing the community, academia, business and labor groups. The advisory group was co-chaired by city Managing Director Brian Abernathy and Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel.

The report, titled “A Close Call and an Uncertain Future: An Assessment of the Past, Present, and Next Steps for Philadelphia’s Largest Refinery,” stipulates that the city has limited control over the future of the complex.

A month after the fire, PES filed for Chapter 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, and a sales-and-auction phase is in progress. The future of the complex will ultimately be determined by the bankruptcy court, with approval of a winning bidder currently set for January.

Read more: https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/city-s-report-on-refinery-site-a-cleaner-use-while/article_90a141e4-5b89-559d-a42b-6bb939ece19a.html