Sale of PES Refinery to Redeveloper Finalized, Shutting Down Philadelphia’s Largest Polluter for Good

PHILADELPHIA, PA (February 12, 2020) – A decision in Delaware bankruptcy court Wednesday morning confirmed that Hilco Redevelopment Partners bested a refinery proposal to purchase the shuttered Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery. Hilco has a record of redeveloping obsolete industrial sites into logistics hubs and lighter industrial and commercial uses. The refinery on the two-square-mile site has been polluting the surrounding neighborhoods since the Civil War. Since the refinery shut down after a fire and explosion in June, residents and advocates have been calling for a cleaner and safer use of the property.

Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., Executive Director and Chief Counsel of Clean Air Council, issued the following statement:

“After over a century and a half of endangering the health of residents and the environment, this decision means a permanent end to the city’s largest industrial source of harmful air pollutants and climate pollution. Hilco must work with all stakeholders to leverage this opportunity to transform the site so it protects our air, water, health, and safety while spurring economic development and high-paying union jobs.”