November 20, 2009

Markell Responds to Valero’s Decision to Permanently Cease Refinery Operations in Delaware

State coordinates response to assist workers and ensure environmental health and safety

DELAWARE CITY – Gov. Jack Markell said today that state agencies will act quickly to assist workers affected by the closing of the Valero refinery in Delaware City and that the state will make every effort to ensure the environmental health and safety of the site to protect the thousands of Delaware families who live near the facility.

“The company’s decision to close the refinery leaves us with several problems to solve. We need to help those hundreds of dedicated workers put their time and talents to work in a way that helps them and their families,” Markell said. “To protect the health and safety of everyone who lives near the facility, we need to ensure accountability for the environmental issues that come from closing a refinery, and we will.”

Markell instructed the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Social Services to activate the same rapid response teams they used when the General Motors plant closed earlier this year. The teams will work with the employees to ensure they receive any public services available to them, including job retraining.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is continuing to work to identify environmental issues in and around the facility and will work with Valero to catalogue problems that the company has the responsibility to solve.