Joliet Refinery

=Project Summary= This refinery is evaluating increasing tar sands processing at the refinery. In 2004, it purchased 7% blended bitumen from the tar sands.

Project Detail
The "Crude / Coker Utilization Project" (CCUP) will increase throughput (although not capacity), resulting in "significant" increases of NOx, CO, PM, and PM10 (serving as a surrogate for PM2.5), for purposes of PSD review. However, IEPA found that no the project units contributing to the increases did not undergo a "physical or operational change," and so were not subject BACT or LAER. Although the purpose of the expansion remains unclear, the geographic location suggests that this is a tar sands expansion.

=Permitting Status= Final construction permit issued Feb. 26, 2008 - Comment period expired. 30-day deadline to appeal to the EAB, pursuant to 40 C.F.R. 124.19, was March 27, 2008. Construction must begin by Aug. 26, 2009, or else ExxonMobil must re-apply.