To destroy or transform? Two fossil fuel transitions offer glimpse into industry’s future

Author

Chloe Bennett, Cuny Graduate School of JournalismFollow
Sarah Kerson, Cuny Graduate School of JournalismFollow

Graduation Date

Winter 12-16-2022

Grading Professor

Lauren Friedman

Subject Concentration

Health & Science

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Abstract

In 2019, the Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery closed after a dangerous explosion. But for years before the accident, members of the local environmental justice organization Philly Thrive had been advocating for its closure. Neighborhood residents who live near the refinery site had been complaining for years of health problems, ranging from asthma to cancer. “Enough is enough,” says Sylvia Bennett, 79, who lives in the Grays Ferry neighborhood near where the refinery is located. Her two daughters have both been diagnosed with cancer.

What will become of the refinery site remains to be seen as conversations between Hilco and community groups continue.

In nearby New York City, a 57-year-old natural gas power plant is on the verge of transforming into a renewable energy hub. Ravenswood Generating Station’s peaker plants polluted the air of the state’s largest public housing community, Queensbridge Houses. The natural gas power plant, nicknamed “Big Allis,” emitted nearly 1.1 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2020, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The power station’s owner Rise Light & Power announced last year it would transition to wind and solar power. As of August 2022, the company has plans to transmit renewable energy from upstate New York and offshore, a project it named ‘The Queensboro Express.’

Calls for transitioning Ravenswood into a renewable energy hub and closing the Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery are part of a national push for environmental justice and a just transition away from fossil fuels. The sites’ evolutions could provide insight into the future of the country’s energy economy and the well-being of low-income communities that have historically borne the brunt of heavy pollution.

Our capstone package includes a 3265-word written article, five audio pieces and a series of photos from both neighborhoods.

Link: https://kersonbennettcapstone.wordpress.com/

Recommended Citation

Bennett, Chloe and Kerson, Sarah, "To destroy or transform? Two fossil fuel transitions offer glimpse into industry’s future" (2022). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gj_etds/607