Fenceline Neighbors of Motiva/Shell refinery protest double expansion plans in Port Arthur, Texas

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Community In-power and Development Association (CIDA) holds
community meeting before Texas Commission on Environmental Quality public
meeting on Motiva expansion permit)

Hilton Kelley, Director of CIDA explains that sulfur gases and
particulate pollution will increase by thousands of tons a year as a
result of refinery expansion.

Jim Blackburn (Houston Environmental Attorney) who represents
CIDA in challenging the Motiva expansion, explains the Texas process of
challenging permits.

Fenceline neighbors of Motiva studied fact sheets and asked
questions about the expansion.

Dr. Neil Carman of the Lone Star Sierra Club explains how
Motiva's increase of sulfur dioxide and particulate pollution could
trigger asthma attacks.

Motiva representatives and their army of attorneys, consultants
and political friends were asked to wait outside during the community meeting.

The Motiva refinery in Port Arthur currently processes 300,000
barrels of oil a day but wants to double production to become the largest
refinery in the nation.

Many homes on the westside are in the shadow of Motiva's
refinery and streets dead end into the plant permitter.

Hurricane Rita damage can still be easily seen in Port Arthur
as many question the adequacy of state and federal response in a low
income area.

Dilapidated city buildings, such as the water treatment plant
on 19th Street, and the lack of sidewalks and basic services are common
on the westside of town.

Following the CIDA community meeting, TCEQ held its official
public meeting on the controversial Motiva permit.

TCEQ permit engineer, Scott Poole, attempted to explain to
residents how the agency reached its decision to a permit to Motiva that
allows over 2000 tons a year of increased sulfur gas pollution with new
monitoring requirements.

Bert Molina, Motiva Government Affairs, explained the company's
decision to expand the refinery in Port Arthur.

"Y'all going to live down wind from it," Port Arthur
resident Greg Richard asked of three Motiva representatives seated at the
front of St. John Missionary Baptist Church.

What are these guys cooking up? Former Jefferson County
Judge, Carl Griffiths (left) confers with former Port Arthur Refinery
manager, Tom Purvis, at the TCEQ public meeting. Many politicians and
power brokers who support Motiva's expansion showed their face for the
first time at a meeting on the westside of town. Most seemed happy to
bend over backwards to praise the company and ignore community concerns.

CIDA was granted full party status at the TCEQ contested case
hearing on August 8 at the Port Arthur public library.

Judge Cassandra Church(center), with the Austin-based state
office of administrative hearings, explained the process where CIDA
will be allowed to challenge the permit, conduct discovery and call
witnesses during the case which could delay Motiva's project for a year
and lead to changes in the proposed expansion.