Oil refinery cleanup moves into new phase

October 13, 2005 (WLS) -- Cleaning up a closed oil refinery in south suburban Blue Island is about to move to a new phase. A former employee alleges that some of the pollution is the result of illegal dumping by the company.

In the latter years of its existence, there were fires and some fatalities at the Clark Oil Refinery. Also, catalyst releases sent some people to the hospital. Five years ago, the Blue Island refinery was closed for good.

Today, all that's left is the hydro catalytic cracker, which will be brought down with explosives later this month. Then the businesses of examining for ground pollution will move ahead.

Critics of this plant have long contended that there was-- over the years -- intentional dumping of chemicals on the 170 acre site. John Sanchez, who worked at the refinery for 24 years as a heavy equipment operator and eventually as a contractor administrator in the front office, says that is true. He left the company six years ago. Sanchez says he witnessed numerous occasions of intentionally dumping.

"Whatever kind of waste they had -- heavy oils-- sometimes sulfur compounds-- catalyst -- whatever it was, if they wanted to get rid of it, they'd dig a hole and dump it in and cover it up," said John Sanchez, Former Clark-Premcor Refinery Worker. "It was buried six to eight feet down -- the holes were dug six to eight feet -- and then the barrels were just dumped into the holes."

Sanchez says most of the dumping took place in a far section of Clark property during the late 80's.

"I, myself, thought it was illegal and I declined doing it on more than one occasion," said Sanchez.

Sanchez says he and others didn't blow the whistle at the time because jobs and incomes of colleagues were at stake.

"We do know from people just going out and walking that there are piles of stuff out there," said Assistant Illinois Attorney General Matt Dunn.

The Attorney General's office has been in court for years with Clark -- and now the new owner Valero energy of Texas. A consent decree requires Valero to do soil samples and analyze groundwater throughout the property -- including the area where Sanchez contends there was illegal dumping.

The state has never accused the refiner of criminal conduct, but is requiring Valero to examine the earth after 50 years of refining here.

"All the expenses and drilling and laboratory must be placed and must be born by the company -- so far now resistance to that -- that is correct," said Dunn.

Valero Energy told ABC7 that when the soil and groundwater testing is done, it's subsidiary Premcor "is prepared to pay for the entire clean-up." It may be months before the analysis is done, years before the site's cleaned up, and no one has an estimate on cost.

Valero also says that soil samples have been taken from the area where John Sanchez says the intentional dumping took place -- and they do not confirm his claims. Nonetheless, authorities plan to check that out.

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