Virginia refinery battle: another dilemma in energy facility siting

Journal Article · Fri Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 1978 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5187223

A discussion of efforts by Hampton Roads Energy Co. (HREC) to build a refinery in Portsmouth, Va. showed that the effluent discharge permit granted by the Virginia State Water Control Board is being strongly challenged in both state and Federal courts. HREC must still obtain a permit from the U.S. Corps of Engineers (COE) for the channel dredging and other work that would be necessary in building a marine terminal where crude oil would be received and refined products would be loaded. The U.S. Department of Energy favors granting this permit since the increasing dependence of the U.S. on petroleum products refined abroad is highly detrimental in terms of balance of payments, national security and domestic employment. The EPA, U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oppose granting the COE permit because oil spills associated with the tanker and barge traffic that the refinery would generate could ruin the seed oyster beds in the lower James River. These beds provide the seed for more than 75% of the $50 million/yr of oysters harvested in Virginia. Other aspects of the problem are also discussed.

• OSTI ID: 5187223
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 199:4329
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS
VIRGINIA
JAMES RIVER
MARITIME TRANSPORT
TERMINAL FACILITIES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
FEDERAL REGION III
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LICENSES
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
PERMITS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
RIVERS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSPORT
USA
WASTE MANAGEMENT
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
520500 - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)