►
From YouTube: Committee on Licenses and Inspections - 03-10-2020
Description
City of Philadelphia
Public Hearing Notice
March 3, 2020
The Committee on Licenses and Inspections of the Council of the City of Philadelphia will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at 10:00 AM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following items:
200116 An Ordinance amending Chapter 9 of Subcode PM (“The Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code”) of Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Additional Special Requirements,” to establish requirements for managers of certain buildings pertaining to identification of occupants to better assist responders during emergency situations; all under certain terms and conditions.
200147 An Ordinance amending Subcode F of Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “The Philadelphia Fire Code,” to establish limitations on the use of hydrogen fluoride and hydrofluoric acid, under certain terms and conditions.
Immediately following the public hearing, a meeting of the Committee on Licenses and Inspections, open to the public, will be held to consider the action to be taken on the above listed items.
Copies of the foregoing items are available in the Office of the Chief Clerk of the Council, Room 402, City Hall.
Michael A. Decker
Chief Clerk
A
Good
morning,
this
hearing
will
be
called
two
orders
and
I
want
to
recognize
that
we
do
have
a
quorum.
That
is
present
with
the
committee
members
here
today
to
my
left.
We
have
our
Majority
Leader
Councilwoman,
Parker,
councilman,
Kenyatta
Johnson,
and
to
my
right,
councilman
Jones.
This
is
a
public
hearing
on
the
committee
of
licensed
and
inspected
inspections.
The
purpose
of
the
hearing
today
is
to
hear
testimony
on
two
bills:
bills:
numbers
2,
0,
0,
1,
1,
6
and
2
0
0,
1,
4,
7
clerk,
miss
Atwell.
B
2
0
0
1
1
6,
an
ordinance
amending
chapter
9
of
subcode
p.m.
of
title
4
of
the
Philadelphia
Code,
entitled
additional
special
requirements
to
establish
requirements
for
managers
of
certain
buildings
pertaining
to
identification
of
occupants
to
better
assist
responders
during
emergency
situations
and
bill
number
two:
zero:
zero
one:
four:
seven:
an
ordinance
amending,
subcode,
f
of
title
4
of
the
Philadelphia
Code
and
titled
the
Philadelphia
Fire
Code
to
establish
limitations
on
the
use
of
hydrogen,
fluoride
and
hydrofluoric
acid,
all
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
Thank.
A
You
and
in
my
apology
to
the
Councilwoman,
let
the
record
reflect
that
we
were
also
joined
by
committee
member
Councilwoman,
Gilmore
Richardson.
Thank
you
for
for
being
here
is
there.
Anyone
here
wishes
to
testify
on
bill
number
2,
0,
0,
1,
1
6.
Would
you
please
a
approached
the
front
testimony
desk
and
state
your
name
for
the
record
and
proceed
with
your
testimony?
Please
and
before
we
start
I'm
going
to
ask
the
sponsor
to
bill
councilman
Jones
for
some
brief
remarks.
Thank.
C
We
have
a
high-rise
apartment
building.
In
my
district
called
British
alone,
there
are
over
200
units
of
living
space
in
that
apartment
complex.
But
what
is
particularly
what
should
be
noted
about
it?
It
is
occupied
by
veterans,
predominantly
senior
citizens
and
some
people
with
physical
disabilities.
That
is
important
because,
when
faced
with
adversity
and
in
the
case
of
an
electrical
power
outage,
which
not
once
but
twice
shut
down
the
building's
electrical
we
found
out
through
experience
that
the
backup
generator
right,
councilmember
Gilmore
got
the
calls
our
office
shared.
C
Those
calls
that
the
back-up
generator
didn't
work
and
our
brave
firefighters
responded
as
appropriately.
They
did
with
in
record
time,
but
one
thing
was
missing:
there
was
no
manifest
to
say
which
apartments
out
of
those
200
had
people
who
required
additional
assistance
and
you'll
hear
from
testimony
today.
Mr.
chairman,
about
how
people
that
require
walkers
had
to
figure
their
way
out
in
the
dark
down
flights
of
steps,
with
only
the
use
of
a
handheld
iPhone
flashlight,
while
responders
were
moving
around.
C
They
could
not
know
that
there
were
people
also
that
were
in
units
that
some
of
whom
had
dementia,
so
whether
there
was
an
alarm
going
off
or
whether
that
was
the
tea
kettle
was
on
the
stove.
They
didn't
and
couldn't
differentiate
the
difference.
We
are
risking
a
catastrophe
whenever
we
don't
know
who
is
in
these
high-rises
and
who
immediately
needs
to
be
prioritized
for
assistance.
C
So
these
kinds
of
bills
are
designed
not
to
be
a
burden
to
apartment
owners
and
it
can
be
inconvenient
to
have
to
change
and
do
a
roster
of
people
who
need
assistance
and
it
could
be
inconvenient
to
them,
but
it
could
be
life-threatening
to
the
folk
in
those
units
who
need
that
help
and
minutes
do
matter
and
Thank
You.
Mr.
chairman,.
D
You
mr.
chair
I
just
wanted
to
offer
kudos
to
my
colleague
and
my
district
council
member
councilmember
Jones
for
introducing
this
legislation
on
behalf
of
the
residents
of
birth
Shalom,
but
all
the
high-rises
across
the
city,
particularly
the
ones
that
house
seniors,
are
veterans
in
those
with
physical
disabilities.
I
want
to
thank
you
for
your
follow-up
work
with
the
residents
in
the
fourth
council
district
and
we
look
forward
to
continuing
to
work
with
you.
A
B
This
bill,
which
was
sponsored
by
council
person
Jones,
is
essential
to
ensuring
that
the
office
of
emergency
management,
the
Philadelphia,
Fire,
Department
or
any
other
emergency
responders
have
the
tools
that
are
necessary
to
address
emergencies
such
as
power
outages
that
may
disable
a
residential
building.
This
bill
will
require
both
high-rise
and
mid-rise
structures
that
contain
residential
uses
to
maintain
a
building
manifest
of
their
residents
to
assist
responders
in
the
event
of
an
emergency.
B
L&Amp;I
annually
inspects
structures
with
high-rise
licenses
and
during
that
inspection
an
inspector
will
confirm
that
a
hard
copy
of
the
manifest
is
on-site
and
has
been
updated
within
the
past
12
months.
Mid-Rise
structures
are
not
annually
inspected
by
the
department,
but
they
are
required
to
receive
a
rental
license
which
is
renewed
annually.
At
the
time
of
renewal,
a
license
holder
will
be
required
to
confirm
that
the
manifest
has
been
maintained
in
order
to
ensure
that
this
requirement
is
met
for
mid-rise
structures.
The
department
will
need
to
make
a
change
to
our
licensing
system
Eclipse.
B
We
do
anticipate
that
the
Eclipse
system
will
be
updated
in
time
by
the
time
the
bill
is
effective,
which
will
be
one
year
from
the
date
it
becomes
law.
We
estimate
that
this
bill
will
affect
over
1,000
residential
properties
in
Philadelphia.
The
department
has
no
objection
to
this
bill
and
has
worked
with
its
sponsors
office.
On
the
proposed
amendments,
we
are
prepared
to
adjust
the
high-rise
inspection
procedure,
rental
license
application
and
renewal
process.
Should
this
bill
become
law.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
provide
the
department's
testimony.
B
A
Thank
you
for
for
your
testimony.
Anybody
else
on
a
panel
submitting
any
testimony
here
today.
Anyone
on
the
committee
have
any
any
questions
for
bill.
Number
two:
zero,
zero
one,
one
six
I
do
have
one
quick
question:
it's
you
know
when
you're
at
the
end
of
your
testimony
about
regarding
adjusting
the
high
race
inspector
procedure,
rental
license
application
and
renewal
processes
of
the
bill.
Does
that
change
the
you
know
the
50,
the
limit
51
a
in
a
singular
building
for
housing
and
inspection
licenses
on
a
property
I'm.
A
B
High-Rises
are
inspected
annually,
so
among
the
things
that
our
inspectors
are
already
looking
for,
they're
checking
for
you
know:
standpipe,
certifications,
fire
suppression,
certifications,
they'll.
Also
on
that
checklist
of
items
that
they're
looking
for
they'll,
say
where's
your
building
manifests
they'll,
make
sure
that
a
hard
copy
is
present
that
it's
up
to
date
to
make
sure
that
this
requirement
is
met
for
the
mid-rise
structure.
B
A
A
That,
because
right
because
over
25
is
there's
a
max
up
to
50
in
buildings,
okay,
so
the
max
amount
of
housing
inspection
license.
Rental
licenses
on
a
property
is
I,
believe
$20,000
and
50
rental
licenses.
All
I'm
asking
is,
would
that
be
in
you
know
taking
in
consideration
when
you
do
when
you
create
a
low
rise
annual
inspection,
we.
B
A
Everything
is
done
online
anymore
in
person
all
right
to
edit
an
inspector
a
license
for
rental
all
right.
My
question
to
you
is
when
you
check
the
mast,
the
manifest
and
anything
else
that
you're
creating
for
a
low-rise
since
you're,
creating
into
a
category
of
25
but
50
or
I,
just
want
to
make
sure
that
your
your
everybody
in
the
facility
has
the
proper
licenses,
all
right
that
is
required
by
L&I
for
them
to
operate
as
an
investment
property.
B
B
B
A
Know
that
you
know
not
only
is:
is
there
manifesto
for
that
people
have
the
renewal
of
their
other
licenses
all
right,
because
we,
you
know
we
have
576
or
roughly
5.
Almost
you
know,
600,000
investment
properties
or
we're
properties
at
a
City
Philadelphia,
almost
like
you
know,
275
investment
property.
So
a
little
more
than
you
know,
say
a
little
more
than
half
of
our
city
has
inspection
investment
properties
that
require
a
rental
and
inspection
license.
A
A
You
know
an
inspection
license
or
has
an
inspection
license
at
manufa
by
law
when
you
go
into
a
low
rise
or
a
high
rise,
you're
supposed
to
have
a
list
of
contractors
performing
work
all
right
for
public
safety,
so
that
the
department,
both
you
know,
health
and
fire,
as
for
fire
safety
and
suppression
and
L&I-
can
have
a
you
know
somewhat
of
an
inclusive
1
page.
You
know
checklist
that
is
okay,.
D
Thank
you
for
your
testimony
and
for
your
work.
First
I
just
wanted
to
say
for
the
record
and
get
on
the
record.
What
is
the
penalty
amount
for
non-compliance
and,
secondly,
we
know
that
we
often
have
a
lot
of
laws
on
the
books,
but
enforcement
is
the
key.
So
you
talked
about
in
your
testimony
about
the
midrash
structures
that
are
not
annually
inspected.
What
type
of
man
power
and
capacity
would
it
take
for
L&I
to
be
able
to
engage
in
proactive
inspections
of
the
midrash
structures.
B
B
How
many
more
inspections
this
would
create
if
we
were
to
inspect
mid
rises?
There
were
over
a
thousand
rental
licenses
for
over
25
units,
I
believe
when
I
checked.
When
this
bill
was
introduced
about
a
month
ago,
it
was
1112,
so
that
would
be
a
significant
increase
to
the
amount
of
work
that
L
and
I
would
do
if
we
were
to
physically
inspect
all
those
properties.
Sure.
D
I
think
the
issue,
particularly
with
birth
salom,
is
that
this
continued
to
reoccur
right
Holly,
this
continued
to
reoccur
time
and
time
again
there
was
always
an
issue
there.
The
generator
and
backup
generator
did
not
work.
There
was
issues
with
like
water
pressure
and
other
issues
in
the
building
that
are
property
maintenance
related,
so
particularly
for
buildings
that
have
seniors.
Is
there
any
way
for
us
to
it's
kind
of
section
them
out,
I'll
figure
out
which
buildings
have
the
most
vulnerable
populations?
I?
D
B
Think
there's
any
mechanism
that
L&I
has
where
we
would
know
exactly
who's
living
in
the
building's
there
is.
There
are
some
zoning
classifications
that
maybe
we
would
be
able
to
get
a
heads-up
of
you
know
a
a
older
population,
but
just
based
on
the
rental
license.
It
could
be
someone
who's,
18
or
80.
Sure.
D
Sure
so,
if
we
could
look
at
some
of
that,
information
just
have
follow-up
for
the
committee's
information,
but
particularly
for
me
for
births
alone,
because
there
was
a
lot
of
city
resources
that
have
been
expended
on
that
residence
in
particular,
and
every
time
there's
been
a
large
response.
There,
we've
needed
intervention
from
the
fire
department
from
L
and
I
accepted
a
house.
The
residents
on
the
bus
units
from
the
local
supermarkets
to
ensure
they
have
food
after
their
food
is
rotted
for
days.
A
A
Well
s
praise
it.
It
is
I'm
going
to
continue
on.
As
we
add
you
know,
good
policy
and
safety
policies
in
our
city
all
right
to
encourage
the
administration
and
L&I
to
hire
more
inspectors.
So
we
can,
you
know,
have
a
complete
checklist
and
you
know
new
inspections
with
mid-rise
and
so
forth.
So
I
look
forward
to
working
with
you
and
the
department,
the
administration
in
the
months
to
come
throughout
the
budget
process.
So
thank
you
for
being
here
you're.
You
were
you're.
Okay.
We
have
a
new,
further
questions
for
the
administration
here.
A
A
E
E
Again,
my
name
is
Thomas
Marrero
I'm.
Currently,
a
senior
citizen
I
live
at
the
Pavilion
apartments
right
behind
the
British
alarm.
There
3901
I
support
this
bill,
I've
been
through
two
blackouts
at
the
pavilion
terrible
time
and
recognizing
who
was
in
the
building,
who
wasn't
in
the
building
who
needed
help
to
get
out
of
the
building.
Thank
God
for
the
Philadelphia
Fire
Department.
They
did
a
heck
of
a
job.
E
It's
unfortunate
because
the
fire
department,
many
times
have
said
that
people
shouldn't
be
no
higher
than
the
third
floor
and
a
12
story
building,
because
if
they're
blind
in
a
wheelchair
walkers,
they
don't
really
have
access
to
the
lobby,
you
know
being
only
up.
Three
flights
of
steps
is
not
so
bad
as
compared
to
when
you're
on
the
8th,
9th
12th
12th
floor,
and
it's
one
of
the
reasons
that
I
definitely
support
this
bill.
E
People
in
my
building.
They
they're
pretty
much
behind
it
as
well,
because
they
know
some
of
the
tragedies
that
we
went
through.
The
last
couple
of
years,
with
blackouts
backup
generators,
don't
kick
in
and
it's
very
difficult
for
those
the
see
coming
down
the
stairways
and
again
all
I
can
say
is
that
please
pass
this
bill.
We're
old
we're
not
as
active
as
a
lot
of
people,
there's
a
lot
of
people
and
walkers
and
wheelchairs
and
people
that
are
blind
as
well,
and
it's
very
difficult
to
find
your
way
down
those
steps.
E
E
We
were
housed
at
West,
Philadelphia,
High
School
for
quite
a
few
days,
and
thank
God
for
councilman
Jones
as
well,
because
his
office
supplied
a
lot
of
help
for
us
and
being
ala,
our
apartments
for
the
time
that
we
were
out,
I,
don't
have
a
lot
to
say,
but
for
the
most
part
again,
councilman
I
think
this
bill
is
a
bill
that
should
be
looked
at.
Thank
you.
Well,.
A
Thank
you
thank
you,
for
you
know
coming
down
here
and
telling
your
story
and
supporting
this
legislation
as
I
know,
we
all
know
as
a
legislative
body
here
in
the
city
city
council,
councilman
Jones
has
been
on
a
forefront
of
these
issues
for
the
past
several
years.
So
you
know
we're
happy
that
you
were
here
to
help
support
that
and
give
us
a
chance
at
an
opportunity
to
hear
your
story.
So
thank
you
so
much.
Thank.
A
F
Good
morning,
chair
Henan
and
members
of
the
committee,
my
name
is
Chris
Roop,
deputy
managing
director
for
policy
and
legislation
and
I'm
here
to
testify
in
support
of
bill
number
two:
zero
zero
one.
Four
seven.
This
legislation
was
sponsored
by
councilmember,
Kenyatta
Johnson
on
behalf
of
the
Kenney
administration,
and
amends
the
Philadelphia
Fire
Code
by
prohibiting
the
use
of
hydrogen,
fluoride
or
hydrofluoric
acid
in
refinery
or
petroleum
processing
operations
within
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
F
The
legislation
before
you
today
would
implement
a
key
recommendation
to
emerge
from
the
city's
refinery
advisory
group
process,
which
was
co-chaired
by
the
managing
director
and
the
fire
commissioner,
hydrofluoric
acid
or
HF
is
the
term
commonly
used
to
refer
to
hydrogen.
Fluoride
that
is
dissolved
in
water.
Hf
can
also
exist
as
a
colorless
gas
or
as
a
fuming.
Liquid
HF
is
commonly
used
in
many
industrial
applications.
However,
if
mishandled
HF
poses
a
significant
risk
to
health
and
safety
according
to
the
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention.
F
Hf
poses
an
immediate
danger
to
human
life
and
health
at
concentrations
as
low
as
30
parts
per
million.
When
HF
comes
into
contact
with
skin,
it
penetrates
the
skin
and
damages
deep
tissue
layers
and
bone
with
potentially
fatal
results
if
inhaled
HF
can
damage
lung
tissue
and
cause
swelling
and
fluid
accumulation
in
the
lungs
that
can
become
fatal.
F
One
of
the
specific
risks
posed
by
HF
is
the
chemicals
tendency,
if
released,
to
form
a
vapor
cloud
that
travels
close
to
the
ground
with
the
potential
for
travelling
significant
distances
away
from
the
source
when
used
in
refineries
and
petroleum
processing.
Hf
is
usually
present
in
very
large
quantities,
often
hundreds
of
thousands
of
pounds
and
as
we
all
experienced
last
June
refineries,
inherently
pose
a
heightened
set
of
risks
of
accidental
releases
that
could
be
caused
by
fires
or
explosions.
The
incident
at
the
PS
refinery
was
the
third
recent
close
call
at
a
u.s.
F
refinery
that
uses
HF
as
an
alkylation
catalyst
in
recent
years.
Refineries
in
superior
Wisconsin
and
Torrance
California
also
had
explosions
that
threatened
the
role
of
large
quantities
of
HF
and
close
proximity
to
dense
population
centers,
though,
a
diminishing
number
of
refineries
still
use
hf
in
the
united
states,
both
the
United
Steelworkers
union
and
the
u.s.
Chemical
Safety
and
hazard
Investigation
Board
have
called
for
increased
regulation
of
HF
in
the
petroleum
industry
and
the
wider
adoption
of
safer
alternatives.
F
It
is
important
to
note
that
refinery
alkylation
technologies
are
not
easily
interchangeable
systems
are
built
to
use
specific
technologies,
so
a
refinery
operator
cannot
decide
to
switch
catalysts
on
a
whim
without
making
substantial
capital
investments.
This
legislation,
therefore,
would
effectively
prohibit
any
alkylation
units
from
being
built
or
rebuilt
to
use
HF
as
a
catalyst
within
the
city.
It
is
also
important
to
note
that
the
Point
Breeze
portion
of
the
Philadelphia
refinery,
complex,
which
was
not
damaged
by
the
incident
in
June,
uses
a
different
alkylation
technology
using
sulfuric
acid
as
a
catalyst
instead
of
HF.
F
Well,
sulfuric
acid
has
dangers
of
its
own.
If
released,
it
is
less
likely
than
HF
to
travel,
significant
distances
away
from
the
site
and
put
nearby
communities
in
danger.
This
legislation
does
not
aim
to
prohibit
any
future
petroleum
or
other
industrial
processing
in
the
city
or
improperly
interfere
with
interstate
commerce.
F
Rather,
the
intent
of
the
legislation
is
to
address
a
very
specific
risk
and
ensure
that
any
future
petroleum
processing
operations
in
Philadelphia
use
safer
technologies
and
that
Public,
Health
and
Safety
would
no
longer
be
threatened
by
having
massive
quantities
of
HF
stored
or
used
in
conjunction
with
processing,
highly
flammable
or
explosive
materials.
By
passing
this
legislation,
City
Council
will
ensure
that,
regardless
of
the
full
range
of
future
uses
for
the
1300
acre
refinery
site
in
the
years
ahead,
no
future
use
will
involve
large
quantities
of
HF
and
close
proximity
to
petroleum
products.
G
Good
morning,
chair
hainan
and
members
of
the
committee,
my
name
is
Adam
teal,
Fire,
Commissioner
and
director
of
emergency
management
and
I
am
here
to
testify
in
support
of
bill
number
two:
zero
zero
one.
Four
seven.
This
legislation
amends
the
Philadelphia
Fire
Code
by
prohibiting
the
use
of
hydrogen,
fluoride,
HF
or
hydrofluoric
acid
and
refinery
or
petroleum
processing
operations
within
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
As
you
are
all
aware,
last
June
a
fire
and
series
of
explosions
occurred
an
alkylation
unit
and
the
Girard
Point
portion
of
the
Philadelphia
Energy
Solutions
refinery.
G
This
incident
occurred
at
an
alkylation
unit
that
used
HF
as
a
catalyst
and
the
process
fluid
that
escaped
and
ignited
contained
a
small
percentage
of
HF
catalyst.
Thanks
to
the
quick
actions
of
the
highly
skilled
and
well-trained
workforce
of
p/es,
the
refinery
safety
systems
were
activated
and
the
vast
majority
of
HF
and
use
on
the
site
was
safely
contained.
A
small
percentage
of
the
HF
on
site,
however,
was
released
under
the
atmosphere
when
the
process
fluid
ignited
and
exploded.
Numerous
investigations
and
enquiries
into
the
events
that
led
up
to
the
incident
and
June
are
ongoing.
G
Fortunately,
thanks
in
large
part
to
the
quick
actions
of
the
skilled
workforce
at
the
refinery
and
the
safety
systems
installed
by
a
previous
refinery
owner,
the
city
is
not
aware
of
any
confirmed
off-site
health
impacts
from
any
release
of
HF
related
to
the
fire
or
explosions.
Air
modeling,
performed
by
the
federal
government
at
the
city's
request,
confirmed
that
it
was
highly
unlikely
that
any
released
HF
was
able
to
travel
far
enough
from
the
alkylation
unit
to
cross
the
property
line
or
threaten
nearby
communities.
G
This
report
is
publicly
available
at
WWF
Illig
of
/
refinery
and
was
cited
in
the
report.
I
co-authored
with
the
managing
director
last
November
titled
a
close
call
and
an
uncertain
future.
The
legislation
before
you
today
would
implement
a
key
recommendation
to
emerge
from
the
city's
refinery
advisory
group
process,
which
I
co-chaired
with
the
managing
director.
Through
that
process,
we
recommended
legislative
action
to
regulate
HF
in
a
manner
that,
first
and
foremost,
minimizes
risks
to
surrounding
communities.
G
Removing
large
quantities
of
HF
from
being
used
in
conjunction
with
explosive
or
flammable
materials
in
the
middle
of
a
densely
populated
area
will
be
a
substantial
step
forward
for
improving
public
safety.
As
we
noted
in
the
report,
the
city
issued
in
November,
a
declining
number
of
US
refineries,
still
use
HF.
However,
it
remains
in
widespread
use,
including
at
other
refineries.
In
the
Philadelphia
area.
We
as
a
city
will
not
be
able
to
ban
the
use
of
HF
and
refineries
nationwide.
G
However,
Philadelphia
is
uniquely
vulnerable
to
an
accidental
release
of
a
large
quantity
of
HF
because
of
the
sheer
size
of
our
population.
1.1
million
residents
live
within
a
seven
mile
radius
of
the
refinery.
The
Philadelphia
Fire
Department
must
be
prepared
for
any
hazardous
chemical
release
that
could
occur
at
any
time
or
place
within
our
city
in
the
course
of
interstate
commerce.
By
passing
this
legislation,
however,
we
will
take
a
significant
risk
off
the
table
and
our
community's
workers
and
first
responders
will
be
safer
as
a
result.
A
H
You
mr.
Thank
You
mr.
chair
I
just
want
to
first
and
foremost
Thank
You
Commissioner
for
your
public
service
and
your
team's
public
service
on
that
day
responded
quickly
efficiently
and,
most
importantly,
made
sure
that
what
could
have
been
a
major
catastrophe
and
salford
off
it
didn't
happen.
So
just
one
of
the
first
and
foremost
thank
you
for
your
leadership
and
to
the
administration.
H
I
just
had
a
small
question
that
I
wanted
to
ask
so-
and
this
is
for
the
commissioner
prior
to
the
explosion
that
took
place
this
past
you,
where
there
are
any
other
times
that
when
there
have
been
releasing
of
different
chemicals
in
the
air
or
small,
on
the
SS
that
have
taken
place,
then
I
fill
up.
Energy
Solutions
that
this
issue
of
HF
has
actually
come
up
and
has
been
considered
a
chemical
that
we
should
get
rid
of
prior
to
the
explosion.
G
G
As
everybody
understood
the
refinery
operators,
the
regulator's,
you
know
the
refinery
was
operating
as
safely
as
it
could
be,
given
that
legacy
technology
that
HF
technology,
so
you
know
again
it's
not
necessarily
within
you
know
my
purview
as
the
the
is
merely
the
fire
commissioner
and
director
of
Emergency
Management
to
be
able
to
regulate
out
of
existence.
You
know
chemicals
like
that.
So
again,
it's
something
we
were
we've
always
been
concerned
about.
The
good
news
is
again:
what
could
have
been
a
much
worse
situation?
G
Wasn't
because
prior
operators
had
invested
in
technology
that
was
able
to
again
thanks
to
that
heads-up
operator,
I
was
able
to
capture
the
majority
of
the
hf,
contain
it
on
the
site.
Now
it
was
still
a
hazard
which
is
again
why
we
did
not
put
that
incident
under
control
as
you're
well
aware
for
three
months
and
three
days
so
for
us,
you
know
we
are
offering
the
position
where
we
are
left.
G
H
F
You
councilmember
I'm
not
aware
of
any
specific
issues
involving
that
site.
With
my
with
my
limited
knowledge
of
it,
I
can
tell
you
that
one
of
the
you
know
both
sulfuric
acid
and
hydrogen.
Fluoride,
have
risks
and
dangers
to
them.
The
you
know
they
all
have
pros
and
cons.
Sulfuric
acid
has
become
over
the
years
a
more
widely
adopted
technology
and
it
is
complicated.
F
It
is
more
complicated
to
use
at
a
refinery
than
HF
is,
but
why
it
is
widely
perceived
to
be
a
safer
technology
is
because
it
doesn't
have
the
tendency
that
HF
has
to
form
a
vapor
hugging,
a
vapor
cloud
that
can
hug
the
ground
and
travel
great
distances.
If
it's
released,
it
tends
to
stay
much
closer
to
the
site
of
release,
which
is
a
very
significant
distinction
when
you're
looking
at
a
site.
That's
this
large
in
the
middle
of
such
a
densely
populated
area.
Okay,.
H
G
All
we
have
our
estimates
that
are
provided
what
they
call
engineering
estimates
provided
by
the
refinery.
All
of
those
engineering
estimates
were
provided
to
the
federal
interagency,
modeling
and
Atmospheric
center
or
iMac,
and
so
those
scientists
are
actually
from
multiple
federal
federal
agencies,
the
Defense
Department
EPA,
and
we
put
the
absolute
best
brainpower
that
we
have
available
to
us
in
the
country
on
this
problem,
and
we
have
to
recognize
and
again
that
memo
is
available
on
the
website.
G
There
are
significant
uncertainties
and
that,
in
the
results
of
that
analysis,
but
that's
truly
the
best
of
what's
available
to
anybody
and
they
concluded
the
you
know
any
release
beyond
the
fence
line
or
off
the
property.
Was
you
know
at
a
level
at
a
concentration
which
would
not
cause
harm
and
to
be
to
be
very
clear,
and
it
goes
to
your
prior
question,
any
chemical,
any
substance
in
a
particular
concentration
can
be
hazardous.
And
again
that's
the
the
point
of
this.
You
know
legislation-
and
you
know
you.
G
Your
wisdom
with
this
is
to
narrowly
tailor
this
to
address
this
particular
chemical
in
a
particular
use
that
is
especially
hazardous.
Given
the
combination
of
the
HF
with
flammable
and
explosive
hydrocarbons,
so
that's
the
real
issue
with
the
refinery
process.
Is
you
had
the
HF
sitting
above
large
quantities
of
liquefied
petroleum
gas?
In
some
you
know
gas
in
different
forms.
That's
what
exploded,
not
not
the
HF!
So
that's
the
the
idea
here
is
to
take
that
risk
off
the
table,
because
that
is
one
of
the
largest
risks.
G
The
reality
is,
according
to
the
latest
statistics
from
the
federal
government,
we
average
about
60
million
tons
of
various
hazard
materials
that
are
shipped
in
interstate
commerce
through
the
city
every
year,
so
we
as
the
fire
department,
need
to
and
will
continue
to
be
able
to
respond
to
releases
of
HF
sulfuric
acid
pick
a
chemical.
There
are
literally
thousands
of
chemical
compounds.
We
have
to
continue
to
do
that
because
our
ability
to
regulate
that
is
preempted
by
the
federal
government.
At
the
same
time,
this
is
a
huge
risk.
The
combination
of
these
materials.
G
H
F
I
think
there's
a
couple
issues
I
think
without
getting
too
far
into
the
the
legal
weeds,
because
I'm
not
an
attorney.
You
know
we
can't.
We
have
a
moment
where
we
can,
through
existing
laws,
create
fire
code
regulations
around
specific
uses
of
hazardous
chemicals.
As
long
as
there
isn't
a
explicit
preemption,
you
know
to
the
to
the
commissioners
point
that
he
just
made.
We
do
also
want
to
take
a
look
at.
You
know
the
landscape
of
hazardous
chemicals,
a
little
bit
more
broadly
in
the
city.
F
That
was
one
of
the
recommendations
that
was
included
in
the
report.
That
takes
a
lot
of
time
in
fact-finding
to
do
it
right.
You
know
you
really
need
to
understand
the
universe
of
potential
chemicals
out
there
that
could
pose
a
risk.
How
they're
used
what
those
potential
risks
are.
What
are
the
alternatives?
So
that's
going
to
be
an
ongoing
process,
that's
going
to
be
a
bit
longer
term,
and
you
know
there's
there's
certainly
aspects
of
this
that
are
preempted
by
state
and
federal
regulations.
F
You
know
it's
it's
difficult
for
us
to
interfere
with
interstate
commerce,
for
example.
You
know
there
are.
There
are
some
reporting
requirements
that
are
already
in
place
at
the
federal
government,
but
consulting
with
our
attorneys.
We're
gonna
be
very
thoughtful
and
you
know
really
really
take
a
diligent
approach
to
making
sure
that
we're
looking
at
you
know,
planning
and
preparedness
around
all
possible
dangerous
chemicals
and
how
they're
used
in
the
city
and
not
just
HF
any.
H
F
D
You
mr.
chair
I
just
have
a
few
quick
questions.
Are
there
any
other
facilities
that
use
a
hydrofluoric
acid
in
the
city
and
then,
secondly,
I
remember
several
years
ago,
working
on
a
bill
that
said
the
sulfur
rates
down
at
the
refinery
through
the
air
management
services
advisory
board?
Can
you
just
talk
about
that
and
if
there's
any
need
for
us
to
go
back
and
look
at
that
legislation
for
any
reason.
G
Councilwoman,
the
we
are
aware
of
three
other
facilities
within
the
city
that
use
HF
in
the
course
of
their
normal
business
processes
in
a
quantity
sufficient
to
trigger
trigger
the
regulatory
reporting
requirements
that
you
know
ultimately
go
back
to
the
to
federal
law.
That
doesn't
mean
there
aren't
other
facilities
that
use
HF
in
quantities
that
are
below
that
threshold,
and
you
know
again
there
likely
are.
We
don't
have
the
authority
to
have
those
folks,
even
though
there
are
requirements
they
voluntarily
report
I
mean
it's
a
mandate
that
they
report.
G
So
there
are
three
facilities
that
do
report
using
HF,
albeit
in
much
smaller
quantities
than
were
present
at
p/es,
on
June
21st
of
2019,
and
also
not
in
the
course
of
refining
operations,
so
they're
not
being
used
in
in
large
quantities
side
by
side
with
flammable
liquids.
So
again,
that's
the
that's
the
idea
here
is
you
know
there.
There
are
many
many
chemicals
used
in
many
many
different
ways.
The
real
challenge
here
and
the
real
risk
is
the
combination
of
those
materials
for
us
and
again
these
materials
can
be
combined
in
almost
infinite
ways.
G
I
mean
you
know.
That's
that's
chemistry,
so
that
periodic
table
of
elements
we
all
see,
that's
just
the
tip
of
the
iceberg,
so
we
are
aware
of
those
three
facilities
that
are
at
that
threshold
level.
We
don't
have
any
awareness
and
there's
no
way
for
us
to
be
aware
of
how
much
HF
or
pick
any
other
hazardous
materials
goes
through
the
city
every
day,
but
we
promise
you
it
knows
so
again.
That's
why
we
still
need
to
be
prepared
for
this.
G
As
far
as
the
you
know,
the
air
monitoring
requirements
and
the
environmental
piece
that
really
is
not
the
fire
department
officer,
emergency
management
and
that
you
know
that's
public
health.
Dep
I
can
tell
you
that
they
are
all
of
those
requirements
and
the
ability
to
enforce
those
regulations
are
also
being
looked
at
in
these
still
several.
G
There
is
no
closed
investigation
on
the
events
of
June
21st.
All
of
the
investigations
by
OSHA,
the
Federal
OSHA
EPA
DEP,
the
Chemical
Safety
Board.
All
of
those
investigations
are
still
underway
and
I
they're
going
to
be
very
thorough
and
very
comprehensive.
That's
why
they're
taking
time
and
I
certainly
anticipate
that
your
second
question
will
be
addressed
in
those
reports.
Okay,.
A
You
Councilwoman
I'd
be
remiss
to
not
acknowledge,
but
in
both
of
your
testimonies
you're,
mentioning
of
our
trained
workforce
and
in
first
responders
that
were
on-site
in
that
in
whom
they
responded
quickly
efficiently,
and
you
know,
prevented
a
potential
catastrophe,
and
you
know-
and
that's
you
know
to
me:
I-
have
been
a
proponent
of
keeping
a
refinery.
I
am
NOT
a
you
know,
recognizing
the
toxic
HF,
an
asset
and
fluoride
that
is
used
down
there.
I
understand
that,
but
I
also
wanted
to.
You
know
also
make
major
statement
that
again
you
have.
A
We
have
a
responsibility,
there's
a
couple
other
you
know
places
in
the
city
that
uses
HF,
alright
and
I
want
to
encourage
them
to
not
to
put
their
capital
investment
and
work
orders
for
parts
and
and
processes
and
and
testing
of
of
their
process,
because
in
in
the
case
of
PE
s,
there
was
a
work
order
or
hfhf,
and
you
know
again
recognizing
its
toxicity
and
and
hazard
being
a
hazard
material.
You
know
if
repairs
and
investment
came
first
instead
of
profits.
A
We
might
not
not
have
had
that
catastrophe,
but
that
being
said
alright,
here
we
are
all
right
and
then
I
believe
the
city's
doing
the
right
thing
and
the
members
of
councilman
we're
doing
the
right
thing,
but
in
most
important
I
want
to.
You
know,
make
sure
all
right
that
everybody
knows
how
quickly
our
trained
workers,
who
don't
have
jobs
anymore,
all
right
or
EMS,
and
first
responders
there
who
are
trained.
You
know
at
the
site
and
their
hazard
a
response
all
right
responded
quickly,
efficiently
and
with
with
honor.
A
So
I
want
to
want
to
thank
you
all
for
pointing
that
out
and
recognizing
you
know
our
trained
workers
here
in
the
city
Philadelphia
and
hope
that
you
know,
for
this
really
raises
the
attention
where
it's
used,
all
that
otherwise,
in
in
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
for
the
owners,
all
right
do
not
put
off
all
right.
You
know
your
profits
to
to
try
and
preventive
maintenance
for
parts
that
could
cost.
A
C
You
mr.
chairman
I
kind
of
remember
a
couple
of
years
ago,
member
Johnson
and
I
had
a
hearing
about
a
similar
catastrophe,
not
as
great
but
based
on
trains
and
being
derailed,
because
this
chemical
go
through
our
rail
system
and
if
it
does
do
they
notify
you
when
they're
they're
bringing
it
through.
G
There
is
councilman,
there's
no
way
for
us
to
answer
the
first
question
with
any
certainty.
I
can
tell
you
from
a
lot
of
years
in
this
business,
and
particularly
around
you
know,
with
expertise
in
hazardous
materials.
I
expect.
The
answer
is
probably
yes,
that
there
are
bulk
quantities
of
HF
traveling
through
the
city,
24/7
365
via
all
modes.
It's
an
immortal,
transportation,
so
rail
we
have
a
seaport,
we
have
highways.
We
all
know
that
Philadelphia's
a
transportation
hub
so
I
expect
that
there
is,
you
know
we
know
there
are
pretty
much
any
chemical.
G
That's
used
in
industry
travels
through
the
city
on
any
given
day
and
that
number
of
those
chemicals
are
growing
constantly
I
mean
the
research
and
development
in
that
industry.
It's
growing
constantly
and
and
know
that
the
railroad
is
under.
No
no
carrier
is
under
any
obligation
to
notify
us
when
hazardous
materials
are
in
transit
through
the
city.
There
was
a
lot
of
discussion
about
the
Bakken
crude
oil
trains
and
whether
or
not
there
would
be
other
requirements
around
that
and
how
to
do
that.
You
know.
G
I
was
part
of
that
conversation,
albeit
in
a
different
Commonwealth
and
a
different
location,
and
again
it
just
becomes
a
real
challenge.
Given
the
sensitivity
of
that
information,
given
the
timing
of
that
transport
and
at
the
end
of
the
day,
there
isn't
really
much,
we
wouldn't
you
know
patrol
the
railroad
tracks,
waiting
for
a
train
or
patrol
the
highway
and
waiting
for
so
it
is.
G
That's
right,
all
of
those
forms
of
conveyance
have
you
know
some
form
of
shipping
paper,
whether
it's
a
contest
to
manifest
a
wheel
report
that
the
challenge
with
that
sometimes
can
be
and
again
from
responding
those
incidents.
The
accessibility
of
that
we've
all
seen
how
long
a
freight
train
is.
So
there
are
ways
that
we
can
communicate
with
the
railroads
and
communicate
with
a
number
of
other
organizations
to
get
that
information.
G
G
We
have
to
continue
to
be
ready
for
everything,
because
again,
new
compounds
are
formed
and
developed
every
day,
and
we
really
don't
know
what
we're
going
to
be
dealing
with
until
we
get
there,
which
again
is
a
it's
a
testament
to
the
you
know,
the
courage
and
the
skill,
the
women
and
the
men
of
the
Philadelphia
Fire
Department
Office
of
Emergency,
Management
and
all
of
our
partners.
We're
always
going
to
rely
on
that.
G
A
A
I
Thank
you
sure
Heenan.
My
name
is
Alex
BOM
Steen
good
morning,
City
Council
members.
Thank
you
for
all
your
time
in
hearing
my
testimony
today
and
then
considering
these
issues.
I'm
the
senior
litigation
attorney
at
clean
air
counsel.
Cleaner
counsel,
is
a
member
supported
environmental,
health
or
advocacy
organization,
headquartered
in
Philadelphia.
The
council's
mission
is
to
protect
everyone's
right
to
a
healthy
environment.
Bill
number:
two:
zero
zero.
Thank
you.
One.
Four,
seven
establishing
limitations
on
the
use
of
hydrogen,
fluoride
and
hydrofluoric
acid
responds
to
a
real
need.
I
The
former
refinery
in
South
Philadelphia
released
large
amounts
of
hydrogen
fluoride
when
it
exploded
last
summer,
we're
all
lucky
that
the
acid
was
dispersed.
We
presume
high
into
the
air
rather
than
forming
a
toxic
vapor
cloud
at
ground
level,
which
could
have
killed
many
philadelphians
and
injured.
Many
more
hydrofluoric
acid
should
not
be
used
in
refineries,
especially
ones
in
densely
populated
cities.
I
So
there's
a
lot
of
good
in
what
the
bill
does
and
if
this
bill
were
the
only
option
for
protecting
Philadelphians
clean
air
council
would
support
it
100%,
but
the
bill
doesn't
go
far
enough
and
it's
not
the
only
option.
We
have
the
bill
would
be
the
first
of
its
kind
in
the
nation.
Philadelphia
will
be
a
leader
on
this
issue,
so
it's
important
that
we
pass
the
best
Bill
possible
to
serve
as
a
model
for
others.
I
This
proposed
bill
prevents
refineries
from
using
the
chemical,
but
the
only
refinery
in
Philadelphia
is
now
shut
down,
so
it
would
therefore
only
apply
to
a
future
refinery.
The
public
deserves
a
meaningful
bill
that
will
protect
us
and
our
neighbors
from
not
just
one
possible
future
refinery,
but
also
from
other
facilities
that
already
used
potentially
dangerous
amounts
of
this
chemical
clean-air
Council
has
drafted
such
a
bill
and
shared
it
with
the
administration
and
some
members
of
City
Council.
That's
one
option
that
the
council
has.
I
I
The
worst
recorded
disaster
from
hydrofluoric
acid
took
place
within
the
last
decade,
not
at
a
refinery,
but
at
a
chemical
plant
in
South
Korea,
five
people
were
killed
and
seven
thousand
were
injured,
and
that
was
from
an
acid
cloud
that
blanketed
the
countryside
rather
than
the
city.
This
current
bill
does
not
cover
chemical
plants.
It
doesn't
cover,
for
example,
idling
tanker
trucks.
The
bill
is
a
good
start,
but
it
could
be
so
much
better
with
some
very
simple
changes
using
language
Clean
Air
Council
has
already
drafted.
I
Cleaner
counsel
asked
that
the
committee
amend
the
bill
to
broaden
and
to
cover
other
facilities.
Besides
refineries,
the
council
would
be
happy
to
help
with
the
amendment
process.
We
think
that
Philadelphians
deserve
only
the
very
best
protections.
Thank
you
again
for
your
time
and
I'd
be
happy
to
answer
any
questions
to
the
best
of
my
ability.
Thank.