DOVER (April 22, 2013) – DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara today approved issuance of an air permit for the Delaware City Refining Company to restart an unused closed-loop cooling water tower at the Delaware City Refinery. The restarted unit will help the facility achieve a required 33 percent reduction in cooling water withdrawal from 452 million gallons per day (mgd) to 303 mgd, which is anticipated to reduce incidents of aquatic life mortality by a corresponding 33 percent. The reductions are required to be achieved by the end of 2013, per the facility’s restart agreement with the State and other existing permit conditions.

“This project will significantly reduce the facility’s long-standing impacts on aquatic life in the Delaware River,” said Secretary O’Mara, “and represents a critical first step towards bringing the facility into compliance with the Federal Clean Water Act in the next few years. Unlike some previous owners, DCRC is making the much-needed investments to improve the environmental performance of the facility.”

 The Secretary’s Order approving the permit can be found on the DNREC website at http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Info/Pages/SecOrders_Permits.aspx.

CONTACT: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 43, No. 164

-30-

Print