South Philadelphia residents organized by the grassroots environmental justice group Philly Thrive marched to the site of the former Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery on Monday morning, announcing a set of demands for the new owners of the site. After fighting for cleaner air while the refinery was in operation, and then fighting for it to be put to a cleaner use after it was forced to close, the group is now laser-focused on making sure neighbors to the former refinery are not shut out of plans to remediate and redevelop the property. Their sustained action shines a light on how hard it is for communities with legacies of environmental injustice to win a say in decisions that affect their neighborhoods and their health.
Grist: Philadelphia’s oil refinery is dead, but the fight for accountability continues
June 24, 2020