FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2012
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Senate Majority Policy Committee Sets Hearing on Statewide Impact of Southeast PA Refinery Closures

Harrisburg – The Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by Sen. Ted Erickson (R-26), will hold a public hearing Monday on the impact that three planned oil refinery closures will have on statewide fuel supplies.

The hearing will be held Monday, February 6 at 10 a.m. in the Senate Majority Caucus Room of the Capitol. Scheduled to appear before the committee are energy researcher and consultant Kevin J. Lindemer; Russell D. Christoff and John Kulik of the Pennsylvania Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association (PPMCSA); and Dennis Rochford of the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay.

The panel will discuss a study commissioned by PPMCSA on the impact that refinery closings in Marcus Hook, Trainer and Philadelphia could have on the supply of petroleum products – including gasoline, diesel fuel, and heating oil – in Pennsylvania.

"The immediate impact of these closings will be felt regionally, but the effects will stretch across the commonwealth," said Erickson. "These sites fill much of Pennsylvania's petroleum needs, from border to border. The cost of home heating, transportation and more will be affected and we need to prepare for the impact ahead of time."

The impact could be especially serious in the Pittsburgh region, where federal regulations require use of a specific blend of gasoline provided by the refineries.

"Ideally, new owners will be found for those sites and they will continue to be used as refineries," said Senator Dominic Pileggi (R-9). "Governor Corbett's Action Team, a coalition of union representatives, and a group of federal, state and local officials are aggressively supporting that effort. It's also important to understand the potential consequences if these sites close or are converted to different uses."

If a sale is not completed, Sunoco and ConocoPhillips have indicated that the facilities could be dismantled.

NOTE: The hearing will be streamed live on Senator Erickson's website, senatorerickson.com.

Contact:

Erik Arneson
717-787-4712 (Sen. Pileggi)
Michele Hansarick
717-787-1350 (Sen. Erickson)