Our statement on blatant mischaracterizations made by renewable fuels lobby

Contacts:

PES Holdings

Cherice Corley, cherice.corley@pes-companies.com, 215.339.7061

Abernathy MacGregor

Kate Murray, KSM@abmac.com, 212.371.5999 

Sydney Isaacs, SRI@abmac.com, 713.999.5104

United Steelworkers

Roy Houseman, rhouseman@usw.org, 202.288.3573 

Tony Montana, tmontana@usw.org, 412.562.2592 

PHILADELPHIA and PITTSBURGH -- Philadelphia Energy Solutions (“PES”) Chief Executive Officer Gregory G. Gatta and United Steelworkers (“USW”) International President Leo W. Gerard today issued the following statement and accompanying fact sheet in response to the false and misleading statements made by the Renewable Fuels Association (“RFA”) and others about PES and the job-destroying financial burdens imposed on independent merchant refiners by the Renewable Identification Numbers (“RINs”) compliance mechanism under the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”).

“Philadelphia Energy Solutions and the United Steelworkers are appalled that the Renewable Fuels Association has launched a dishonest campaign, fabricating “facts” about PES’s business and mocking the livelihoods of thousands of manufacturing workers in refineries across America. The facts are this: PES is a solid business providing energy security for America and employment for 1,100 dedicated refinery workers who every day help power homes, businesses and transportation throughout the Northeast United States.

We believe strongly that energy diversity in source and supply is critical to American energy security, reliability and affordability, and it sustains thousands of American workers and their families. Unfortunately, the RFA has attacked the hardworking men and women of the refinery industry, comparing them unfavorably with farmers whom the RFA “would pick…any day of the week.” We don’t believe in choosing winners and losers; there is a solution that allows all of us to thrive. Unlike the RFA’s denigration of the value of American refinery workers, we are not fighting against ethanol or other biofuel producers, farmers and the many Americans they employ. In fact, PES consistently blends as much ethanol and other biofuels as its customers will allow. We simply want to correct the flawed and indefensible RINs compliance mechanism that is destroying the independent merchant refining industry and the thousands of families sustained by it. PES and the USW believe we can all participate in the energy market on an even playing field.

Despite these attacks, we will continue the work of improving our business, providing high quality and high wage jobs to our employees, and delivering essential fuels to our community. We will also continue to advocate for reform of the flawed RINs compliance mechanism that threatens thousands of well-paying jobs and the independent refineries that provide critical energy supply to the United States.”

For more information, including a breakdown of the myths posed by the RFA, please visit our fact sheet here.

About Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining & Marketing LLC

Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PESRM) owns and operates the Point Breeze and Girard Point oil refineries located on an integrated, 1,300 acre refining complex in Philadelphia. The 335,000 barrels per day of combined capacity makes PESRM the largest refining complex on the Eastern Seaboard.

About United Steelworkers

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors. For more information: www.usw.org

Press Inquiries

Media Contacts

Communications Director:
Jess Kamm at 412-562-2446

USW@WORK (USW magazine)
Editor R.J. Hufnagel

For industry specific inquiries,
Call USW Communications at 412-562-2442

Mailing Address

United Steelworkers
Communications Department
60 Blvd. of the Allies
Pittsburgh, PA 15222