DELAWARE CITY, Del. (AP) - The Delaware City oil refinery has been given permission to cool its plant with water pumped from the Delaware River, a process that previously killed millions of fish.
The Wilmington News Journal reports the refinery's permit was renewed this week by state environmental regulators after years of delay. The permit allows the refinery to pump about 303 million gallons (1.1 billion liters) of water per day from the river. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control records say that's less than what was allowed by the previous permit.
The heated water is then returned to the river, its temperature endangering aquatic wildlife. The renewal comes after years of debate about whether the refinery should build a cooling tower, which would reduce fish mortality.
The newspaper says agency and refinery officials haven't commented.
