An article in today's News Journal entitled "Refineries Search for New Life" (Aaron Nathans, July 1, 2012) reports that "Gov. Jack Markell pledged $45 million in state financial assistance, leading to $465 million in renovations to the plant. About 500 jobs were restored."

While the refinery has been pledged $45 million in state assistance, and a recent exemption in the state's Gross Receipts Tax signed by Governor Markell in June is valued at millions more, residents are informed that the state does not have money to conduct a cancer study or do air monitoring in nearby communities.  An official from the Department of Public Health has reported that $18 million would fund a state-wide body burden study for toxic chemicals.

The Sierra Club's Environmental Justice Partner, the Delaware City Environmental Coalition, awaits notice of whether their grant for community-organized air quality monitoring, utilizing penalty funds that the refinery has paid for permit violations, will be approved or rejected by DNREC Secretary Collin O'Mara.