Federal regulators have approved a second round of chemical removal at the former Limetree Bay refinery on St. Croix — this time targeting liquefied petroleum gas still stored in two process units and an ISO container. Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation, which owns the site, will carry out the work under close federal oversight.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the decision Wednesday evening during a virtual town hall, paving the way for cleanup operations to begin later this summer. The effort is governed by a new Administrative Order on Consent — a binding agreement that defines how the remaining LPG must be removed, monitored, and disposed of. The EPA determined that these units were omitted from earlier reports due to a clerical error discovered after a site inspection in September 2023.

LPG — a flammable mix of propane, butane, and other hydrocarbons — is essential in crude oil refining, used to separate feedstock into lighter fuels like gasoline and diesel. Under the approved plan, Port Hamilton will transfer the LPG in batches to a thermal oxidizer, where it will be vaporized and destroyed at high temperatures. Any leftover sediment with trace mercury will be collected, sealed in drums, and removed off-island. To safeguard public health, continuous air monitoring will test for mercury vapor, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds.

This action marks the second major cleanup since Port Hamilton took over operations. The first, completed in 2023 under full EPA supervision, removed roughly 26,700 gallons of LPG, along with more than 327,000 gallons of amine solution and 8,400 gallons of anhydrous ammonia. That three-month cleanup included vapor degassing, carbon scrubbing, and shipment of waste off-island.

EPA officials emphasized during this week’s town hall that refinery operations remain not imminent, and no formal “notice of intent” to restart has been filed. Under federal law, Port Hamilton must submit that notice at least 90 days before resuming operations. It would also require new permits, further reviews, and community notifications. Both the EPA and Port Hamilton have confirmed that this process remains unchanged, and that filing the notice would be the final step in that sequence.

Still, the chemicals being removed — particularly LPG — are crucial for refining. If Port Hamilton does restart, it will need to repurchase and reintroduce those materials. In public filings and correspondence, the company has said it entered into both the 2023 and 2024 cleanup orders voluntarily and without litigation, even in cases where it disagreed with the EPA’s risk assessments. Port Hamilton has stated that the work aligns with its long-term plans to bring the facility back online and restore well-paying jobs on St. Croix.

With EPA approval in hand, the company is now set to mobilize contractors and equipment. The thermal oxidizer — permitted earlier this year by the V.I. Department of Planning and Natural Resources — will be central to the work, which is expected to take 10 to 12 weeks once it begins.

After cleanup, Port Hamilton will file final documentation confirming compliance with the administrative order. While no restart date has been announced, this second chemical removal clears another hurdle in meeting the conditions necessary for a future reopening. EPA officials say they will continue to monitor every aspect of the process to ensure safety for workers and surrounding communities.