Delaware City Refinery Leak: Residents’ Concerns
- Delaware City residents voiced strong concerns about air quality at a public meeting Thursday following a sulfur dioxide leak at the Delaware City refinery.
- One resident at the meeting, held at the Kirkwood Sports complex in New Castle, stated, "We’re being poisoned.
- Refinery representatives acknowledged the need for improved communication regarding facility issues, admitting they failed to directly notify the surrounding area. They maintain that the leak does not pose...
Delaware City residents are alarmed. That’s the key takeaway following a sulfur dioxide leak at the local refinery, sparking serious concerns about air quality and potential exposure to harmful pollutants. Fueled by the Memorial day leak, the ensuing public meeting saw residents demand answers and express fears about ongoing health impacts. The refinery admits dialogue failures and is working to contain the leak, but the incident has spurred action. Delaware State Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown is pushing for legislation,the Pollution Violation Act,to increase fines for pollution violations. some residents, however, worry increased penalties may lead to the refinery’s closure. For up-to-the-minute coverage on this and other critical news, turn to News Directory 3. Discover what’s next in terms of resident safety and potential legislation surrounding this Delaware City refinery leak.
Delaware City Refinery Sulfur Dioxide Leak Prompts Air Quality Concerns
Updated June 6, 2025
Delaware City residents voiced strong concerns about air quality at a public meeting Thursday following a sulfur dioxide leak at the Delaware City refinery. The leak, which began on Memorial Day, has prompted fears of exposure to harmful pollutants among those living nearby.
One resident at the meeting, held at the Kirkwood Sports complex in New Castle, stated, “We’re being poisoned. We want to know when it’s going to stop.” Officials anticipate sealing the leak next week.
Refinery representatives acknowledged the need for improved communication regarding facility issues, admitting they failed to directly notify the surrounding area. They maintain that the leak does not pose a risk to people at ground level.
“We need a better system, it needs to come from us. That’s probably the single biggest failure,” a refinery official said.
Pam Lane,whose husband works at the refinery,considers the facility a valuable community partner due to its role as a major employer and its financial contributions to local causes. She expressed concern that increased fines could lead to the refinery’s closure, which she believes would devastate the community more than the pollution itself.
“They want to run clean, they don’t want to see these things happen,” Lane said. ”And for our legislators who want to make fines harder for them, they might just end up closing their doors. And we don’t want that. Cause if they close down, our community is going to be devastated, way more than pollution.”
Delaware State Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown, speaker of the House, said legislation is being developed to increase fines for companies violating pollution regulations. The Pollution Violation Act could impose penalties of up to $25,000 a day for leaks, with the funds directed back into the affected neighborhoods.
“Just them taking accountability, and saying you know what, we messed up, we should have done a better job of communicating,” Minor-Brown said. “I should have received the information in a timely manner, and I did not.”
What’s next
The community awaits the refinery’s efforts to seal the leak and implement improved communication protocols, while legislators consider stricter regulations to prevent future incidents and ensure accountability regarding air quality.