Residents want to know if Shell cracker plant is remedying issues after state levies fines

MONACA, Pa. (KDKA) — A committee working with the Pennsylvania State Department of Environmental Protection finalized a protocol regarding funds coming from violations at the Shell Cracker Plant. 

A day doesn’t go by when Donna Treemarchi isn’t worried about what’s happening in the air outside her Potter Township home.

“This is a beautiful area, and they’re coming in here and just they’re ruining it,” Treemarchi said. “People deserve to have a quality of life.”

Since Shell started operating at its cracker plant last November, it’s faced a number of problems, including excessive flaring due to reported malfunctions, odors from a discharge of sewage, and citations by state environmental regulators for repeated air permit exceedances.

The plant even closed for a month in the spring to address malfunctions.

Recently, the state DEP fined the company nearly $10 million for these violations through the month of May and entered a consent order and agreement with Shell to make repairs to reduce future exceedances. Half of the money will go towards environmental, health or quality of life benefits for communities in Beaver County.

Terrie Baumgartner of the Clean Air Council is a part of the steering committee that’s setting up a protocol for the distribution and eligibility of the funds.

“There’s an understanding that this is not a charitable contribution from Shell. It is an answer to harm done, in an attempt to mitigate that harm in some meaningful ways,” Baumgartner said.

The committee is in the process of creating a proposed implementation plan, and then an advisory committee will be tasked with awarding projects.

It’s required that two projects provide regular and independent air quality monitoring and testing. Another project needs to engage and educate the community.

“I’d like to see them get the air quality monitors for all the residents, and test in the homes near the plant,” Treemarchi said. “If they come up positive, I feel that Shell needs to relocate these people.”

In the meantime, Dr. Clifford Lau, a chemist who monitors air quality for various local environmental organizations, said the plant is continuing to violate its permit.

According to the state DEP’s latest report in June, there have been nearly 50 malfunction reports at the plant in under a year of operating.

Lau saw a big flaring event on July 10. 

“What the DEP told me was that (Shell) had made some ethylene and something didn’t work. They couldn’t really use it, so they had the flare it off,” Dr. Lau said.

However, Lau also has received multiple odor reports since May.

Whether the plant is trying to remedy its issues remains unclear.

“I’m still smelling stuff all the time. I’m seeing flares. I’m seeing the sky orange. I don’t really see any changes,” Treemarchi said.

KDKA-TV reached out to Shell for comment about additional malfunctions but has not heard back at this time.

Regarding the July 10 incident, Shell posted the following statement on its Facebook page:

“At approximately 08:55 and 09:06 a.m. today, July 10, the Shell Polymers Monaca facility experienced an operational upset that caused us to briefly activate the elevated flare system.

“All appropriate local and state agencies have been notified. The cause is being investigated. Shell is focused on ensuring the safety of the community, our personnel, and protecting the environment.”