Even though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report on Hovensa’s release of industrial pollutants posed no public health risk, Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen said there are still environmental and health concerns that must be addressed.
Christensen urged St. Croix residents to attend one of two meetings scheduled for Tuesday to learn more about the issue and to press officials for follow up.
Chistensen met with EPA officials Wednesday in advance of next week’s official announcement of results from the agency’s "Air Toxics Study on St. Croix, Virgin Islands." The four-month study analyzed air pollution from the Hovensa refinery and other sources of air pollution near the facility in St. Croix. The purpose of the study was to determine whether air quality near the facility poses health concerns to the community and to guide the strategies for reducing local air pollution.
“According to the EPA’s findings, all of the detectable levels of toxins were below the levels of concern and did not pose a risk to public health,” said the congresswoman. “While this is good news, there is still a clear need for more stringent emission controls and improved monitoring and we cannot ignore that there are health issues affecting the communities in close proximity to these industrial facilities.”
Christensen stressed the need for follow-up and encouraged the agency to be prepared to report not only on the four-month period that the study focused on, but also on other instances when emissions were particularly troublesome.
The meetings will be on Tuesday, the first from 2 to 4 p.m. at Estate Profit Headstart Community Center and the second from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Central High School Gymnasium.
The congresswoman said she wants to mobilize other resources to support a health assessment that will answer long-standing questions regarding cancer and upper respiratory ailments on St. Croix.
