TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney, Deputy Assembly Speaker John J. Burzichelli and Assemblyman Adam J. Taliaferro issued the following joint statement calling on the state government to take action to help rectify the impact of the announced downsizing of PBF Energy’s refinery in Paulsboro and the resulting loss of 250 jobs:
“Washington’s failure to respond appropriately to the epidemic has resulted in an economic impact for many businesses. The recent announcement that the Paulsboro Refinery is downsizing due to failed leadership is a dagger to the heart of the economic well-being of its workers, their families and the entire region. Men and women will be put out of work and the ripple effects will spread through their home communities at a time when the coronavirus crisis continues to impose hard times on working families and businesses.
“We intend to work with the state government to find a way to repurpose the refinery’s capacity and restore the site to be an economic engine for the region.
“This action is a direct result of the Washington’s inability to curb the COVID-driven collapse of fuel demand. We may not have control over the forces that drove down fuel consumption, but we can still take action. We urge the administration to join with us in a compassionate commitment to develop a plan to make use of the facility and prevent this looming downsizing from causing more economic hardship.”