The Chemical Safety Board’s investigation points to a corroded pipe as the source of the explosion. It also says several safety provisions failed to kick in immediately or were not in place.
After a video call with the company that’s redeveloping the PES site, some members of an environmental justice group said they still had questions.
Some levels are higher than what the EPA deems actionable. An agency spokesperson and the Philly health department say the levels don’t indicate health impacts for nearby neighborhoods. But the director of Global Public Health and the Common Good at Boston College said any exposure increases risk.
Philadelphia Energy Solutions and Hilco Redevelopment Partners have a lot to do before the sale can close. The site won’t be a refinery, but no one is sure what comes next. As one cautious neighbor said, “I’ve seen in the past how it is, you know, you just switch from one company to the next company and you have the same problem.”
