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Hovensa, DPNR Looking for Source of Foul Smell

Jan, 22, 2009 — A mysterious, unpleasant odor wafting over St. Croix has brought complaints to Hovensa LLC and the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and sent investigators out into the area near the refinery, but so far no source of the smell has been found.
According to DPNR, affected areas include Clifton Hill, Estate Profit, Hannah’s Rest and White Lady.
Wednesday, residents of neighborhoods northwest and west of the refinery complained of a pungent smell. According to a release from the refinery, Hovensa immediately conducted air analyses along the fence line of the refinery. Company personnel conducted analyses analyses at St. Croix Central High School and thirteen locations in Estates Clifton Hill and Profit.
All the results were negative for known odor causing substances, according to the company. The tests indicated that there was no detectable quantity of odor causing substances, except for an insignificant reading of 0.2 parts per million of volatile organic compounds at one location in Estate Clifton Hill. The maximum permitted exposure level for VOC established by the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is 500 parts per million.
Hovensa has three stations that monitor sulfur dioxide downwind of the refinery: one in Estate Clifton Hill and two more at the St. Croix Renaissance Complex in Estate Anguilla. Those stations analyze the air on a continuous basis for the presence of sulfur dioxide and transmit data by a wireless link to the refinery. None of these stations has detected a high level of sulfur dioxide, which is an odor causing substance.
DPNR Commissioner Robert S. Mathes met with officials of Hovensa on Wednesday to determine the status of Hovensa’s odor investigation. Company officials updated him on the steps that Hovensa has taken to find the source of the odor that is alleged to be coming from the refinery.
Also, DPNR staff from the Environmental Protection division are performing their own field analysis and taking complaints from residents.
Mathes said Hovensa would continue the air quality surveys until the refinery has ruled out all possible sources including processing units and storage tanks.

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