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The Daily News. March 03. 1993 p. 6
We should learn more about Hess Oil refinery
Masgrove forest, long conaid- fy the Virgin tslands' economy.
cred by many people in these The seiamy, which occuplet about
island waieands, a new eo- 2,000 es of lInd, i one of the
ogizedatsmotsgthemostvainble biggest in the world. Many rei-.
ecosystcminltetiooy. date uawasu of how the refi
The Hess Oil refiaery silt 0n ery eariches the Virgin Islands'
land that was once the biggest ma- economy ad o ih sea the Ites
grove from I te Virgin islands, l tchdology to poteat he envie
stretching from.Cnsava Gardea meat.
ay to the Agnlaaret Thins Although the m grove forest
watceccdominatedbywildlife, was deseioyed during coltrctiloo
Atl the Cotlmbut l 'aded at of the refinery, emphasis was
Salt Rive in 1493, St. Crol wa placed on the protection of theo
foeated and inath Soth Shore ae island's air and water resources.
where the Hess refinery s today. The factory has state-of-the-art
the river entered the mnagrove ichoology to coa pollution that
swamp. Lcold he hinful to h people snd
As colonial agricallure began to the M vinmen
develop in the 16th contry, place Wast waterfrom h refinery is
that surround the refinery today treated to remove oil and solid
a s Hotr sad before it enter thp A,. Pether-
Jretu sod Figtl' ll= wre m, Iawd woo water is moa-
dom:oteed by eIgae e fields as lored by ineomont where waler
welltg u fningled fhoelmtil quality is high'to spport mnealo
Today, tlhis am has Hea oil's life. The te sy alts monlos ait.
housing-.dvelopmeat. The land. The system includes two remote
ap s somewhat haled, ll bt an salfe dioxide monitoring attoln.
ca stUl see tth pe of Ueiver 7Tset1 S tIM t il nlorlmationf
mouih. to the refinery by microwave
inl the i UtM t O he He reli. Ietely.
cy was etlabliided to help dixti- The refinery products its own
d li a ecd wat v od its own elee
Iricily.le interest of oeviron-
metal potectioa, sod in compli-
amcwith regulnoda estblishcedk
th Class Air Act Amendment 0o
1990, environmental studies un
=he crgaited at I he to mae
suo that wildlife habitat, water
seaousc or othe w oatl letirce
moeoltmiid
The refily ha an l spill pe-
aliom and cleanup pin. Clasp
equplmcalt is available 24 hooms
day, sad several boats a in la place
at the hibor. T1o refiny alu has
vaaum utnc to suci up splled oln
snywhae alog tI South Shor.
The retliery helps the Virgin
leslsods' eoesy in may ways by
pFodacing bmosc, diesel. jett el,
gasoline, itonmnalic and propae,
mat of which am shipped to the
Ube.ed lm.os e, 1mbeaMy
alo oeploysabout.900 people, he
maijonly of whom re m spped to
beieal tetso d aehlffl
Jobs range.from levioemetali
agioeer to cht ical eagite, lua
minl opertor, process opeator,
qalilycaotol lab opeaoor. ware-
house attendeat, tugboat mauso
and captain, powerhouse operator
and maintenance mechanic. The
reflooy also p ito cmployacl
to so addltioaol 1,000 people
itouhla dcpendek rontracoii
Many local batioees es such a
g0s tais oAntlles nio Cap.
ae a "spiofr from the refinery.
They toats emIoymam in tll these
Islands.
The nopany's goal is to matin-
tain high quality stoandards while
obling employees to hbeo .e he
bed they can be.
ThI is being doea by coducta.
iog ai hose airing workshop for
aupetvisor and technicians. in-
ig alto is povidedin ae of tow
equipenteat and mooilating of evio-
sonmaeneDlondh
We as a people man ramber
that residents of thiee Island miae
the Irefeloiry what his today.
Woron at Hse, however, haI
ito drawback. The refinery is a
dangeous place o wo& The small
of chemicals is always proseat
despite use of the best available
technology to control ai politioi
An environmental disaster can
occur a any lime because of the
malemof beopiadoi.
Environmental issues se
becaogreore l to lmay people it
the Virgin lslT k. Potpie me mo-
cnned aboat clea ailr, ns water,
lash and so on. Wi know ow that
industrial chemicals that being us
mcoaveieoce alodedo the o tes
layer. So it is only aMtn for the
people of St. Colix to be cocmaud
about what Hess lp e i r, the
od sa.
To know mo bshot Hems, call
OliwDsDtr sli holds suam-
or faSCsece degrease It uman-
aogant aid foresty crolg, I a
St. Croix ecologist, activist tad
wier.
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