Friday, December 11, 2009

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Report: Vopak's operations sound By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com: After conducting an environmental assessment of Vopak Bahamas Terminal in Grand Bahama following the concerns of residents, the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) has concluded that the facility's operations are sound and its mitigation efforts are major steps in the right direction. "However, the regulatory agencies, the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS), must ensure that Vopak implements its improvement strategy and take all steps to mitigate the impacts of its operation on the neighboring residents," said the report, completed after a two-day fact finding mission at the facility, formally the Bahamas Oil Refining Company (BORCO). This report was given to West End and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe by Environment Minister Earl Deveaux in Parliament this week. Deveaux provided the report as promised following Wilchcombe's inquiry in Parliament on the environmental issues at Vopak. The environmental concerns related to a recent fire at Vopak; Hydrogen sulfide gas odors within the nearby Pinder's Point community resulting from Vopak's activities and the presence of petroleum in water piped to the community. The investigators concluded that residents of Pinder's Point have tremendous mistrust for Vopak and misconceptions about the facility. According to the report, some residents believe all odors originating in the industrial park are that of Vopak notwithstanding the presence of other industrial operations. Residents also reportedly believe that Vopak's operations have resulted in petroleum into their piped water supply and has caused many health related issues experienced by them. "The residents also feel that they are being ignored and there seems to be an underlying fear that activities of the past under the former BORCO will resume," the report said. "It is clear that Vopak has failed in its public relations efforts and has not allotted adequate time, effort and resources to educate and reassure residents. However, Vopak has demonstrated a willingness to work with the residents of the neighboring communities and to comply with all regulations relative to its operations." DEHS pointed to the installation of five gas monitors on the perimeter of the facility at a cost of $62,000, consistent monitoring within the community and increased capital expenditure of $1.5 million in 2009 to improve the waste water treatment facility as some of the important mitigation efforts taken by Vopak. DEHS recommended that talks between Vopak and the surrounding communities occur bimonthly. It said such meetings may serve to effectively address misconceptions about Vopak and would provide an opportunity for Vopak to partner with the surrounding community. The report also said the Technical Component Division of the Grand Bahamas Port Authority and the Department of Environmental Health Services should implement biannual environmental assessments of the facility to ensure compliance and the implementation of their environmental management plan. It is also recommended that Vopak establish a 24-hour hotline where residents may call to inquire about unidentified odors and/or any other activity that may potentially adversely impact the community. The report said Vopak should ensure upgrades in order for it to be environmentally friendly, and should require that Hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) is at the lowest possible levels in order to mitigate the number of complaints by neighboring residents. On April 29, 2008, Vopak and First Reserve Corporation acquired the Bahamas Oil Refining Company oil storage terminal in Grand Bahama. The goal of Vopak was to store and handle liquid and gaseous chemical and oil products, noted the DEHS report. Tankers would arrive at its terminal and petroleum products would be piped into storage tanks and conversely stored petroleum products would be piped to tankers. The company does not engage in the refining of petroleum, the report said. Saturday, November 21, 2009