Contact: R.J. Hufnagel, 412-562-2450, rhufnagel@usw.org
(PITTSBURGH) -- United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard offered the following statement in response to a suit filed by the Clean Air Council, challenging a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) decision on emissions that cleared the way for Philadelphia Energy Solutions to take over operations at Sunoco's Philadelphia refinery earlier this year:
“While we value the work of the Clean Air Council, and have long shared its goal of a cleaner, healthier environment, we respectfully disagree with its actions in this case.
“The compromise that allowed the Philadelphia refinery to be sold was a positive outcome after months of hard work by USW members, local, state and national leaders, and environmental officials. This agreement will mean nearly 1,000 good-paying jobs at the plant, as well as thousands more jobs created or saved in the community and along the supply chain.
“At a time when unemployment and other economic hardships are still a reality for so many families, we believe it is in the best interests of everyone involved to allow this agreement to go forward.
“In addition, this arrangement will, over the long term, mean cleaner overall emissions and cleaner air through the use of lower-sulfur crude oil and the use of natural gas for power generation.”
The USW represents about 850,000 workers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean in a wide variety of industries, ranging from glassmaking to mining, paper, steel, tire and rubber to the public sector, service and health care industries.
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