Port Neches (November 23, 2020) – TPC Group continues to progress on recovery activities at the Port Neches site, and the team is focused on safe and environmentally sound operations.
Situation Update: TPC Group’s Technical Team, along with site personnel and contractors, have essentially completed the deinventory process. Efforts to further de-risk the site have been accomplished safely and without incident. The first phase of the demolition is well underway to safely remove debris, clear streets and to remove damaged equipment. We expect this work to be completed in early 2021.
TPC Group continues to work with regulatory agencies, insurance providers and counsel for private party claimants to ensure that all parties are aligned as site demolition progresses. This coordination will continue throughout the demolition effort. We continue to do our part to protect the safety of our employees and our community through our environmental, health and safety, and security performance. In the demolition phase of recovery, TPC Group will use the STAN and other communication methods, including social media, to issue courtesy notifications and keep stakeholders informed of any activity that may impact them. Air monitoring also continues onsite.
Community residents, during this time, may see or hear movement of heavy equipment onsite, including large trucks and cranes. Noise associated with demolition activity will be limited to daytime hours.
Site Operations: Terminal operations are underway as part of a three-phased start-up process to serve current and future customers and supplier needs. TPC Group is currently moving raffinate to one of our largest customers in the area. The next phase of the Terminal Project should come online at the end of 2020 and will begin moving product in January 2021.
Air Monitoring: TPC Group air monitoring coverage continues. Air monitoring includes five stationary monitors at the fence line and 8 mobile monitors inside the fence line. The radius of community monitoring is focused on the site perimeter and demolition area. Monitoring teams will remain ready to respond in the community should there be a need.
Voluntary Claims Program Update: Under the Voluntary Claims Program, TPC Group has settled more than 5,000 claims related to impacted homes and has reimbursed over 18,800 residents for evacuation expenses. TPC Group is focusing efforts on addressing residential claims to provide impacted families with the funds necessary to address home damage.
We continue to process additional residential claims daily. While we had hoped to complete initial residential claims settlement appointments and make initial settlement payments for valid claims within one year of the event, the settlement process has taken longer than anticipated. Unexpected impacts to the process timeline from COVID-19, an active hurricane season, and delays in receiving required residential claims documentation, will cause resolution of residential claims to carry over into 2021. At this time, we estimate that initial settlement processing for eligible residential claims may be complete by March 31, 2021, and then TPC Group will further consider unresolved commercial property damage claims. For more information on the Voluntary Claims Program, please click here.
Information Resources: TPC Group will continue to manage inquiries related to recovery activities at Port Neches Operations via the official response website at www.portnechesresponse.com, as well as through established social media channels on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PortNechesUC and Twitter (@PortNechesUC).
Residents are also encouraged to register for updates from the Southeast Texas Alerting Network (STAN). Call 1-877-843-7826 (toll-free) anytime to hear important alerts and notifications or visit www.thestan.com to register for notifications.