VI National Guard and Fire Department conducted air-quality monitoring at Limetree Bay Refinery

The Virgin Islands National Guard’s Civil Support Team and the Virgin Islands Fire Department’s HAZMAT unit conducted air-quality monitoring and testing inside the Limetree Bay Refinery on May 9, 2021, after finding elevated levels of sulfur dioxide near the refinery on May 8, 2021.

Government House said the team spent more than four and a half hours on May 9 conducting air-quality readings and chemical tests inside the refinery. The investigation did not find elevated levels of sulfur dioxide within the refinery, according to the statement.

The statement said investigators were continuing to examine the possibility of sporadic releases within the refinery and whether refinery operations may have contributed to noxious odors reported in communities across St. Croix during the previous week.

Government House said the Civil Support Team and Fire Department HAZMAT unit planned to continue monitoring on the evening of May 9 and the morning of May 10, including spot checks in affected residential areas. The Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency were also conducting monitoring, according to the statement.

The statement advised residents with respiratory ailments, including allergies, lung disease or asthma, to consider staying indoors or taking other protective actions.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/vi-national-guards-civil-support-team-conducts-extensive-air-quality-monitoring-within-limetree-bay-refinery/