ST. CROIX — Residents and businesses seeking compensation under nearly $60 million in proposed settlements stemming from the Limetree Bay Refinery's 2021 pollution incidents now have an additional two weeks to file claims, following an extension of the original November 3 deadline to November 17, 2026.
The change was announced on the official Limetree Bay Settlement Administrator's website, which now prominently displays the November 17 deadline and emphasizes that claimants must submit their applications by that date to receive potential compensation. The revised deadline also appears in the administrator's updated frequently asked questions and filing instructions.
The Consortium reported on October 15 that affected residents had until November 3 to participate in the seven proposed settlements, which total $59,795,000. The newly announced extension gives eligible claimants another 14 days to prepare and submit the required documentation.
The settlement administrator has not publicly specified why the deadline was extended or when the decision was made.
The agreements seek to resolve claims arising from several pollution incidents during the refinery's failed restart in 2021. Plaintiffs allege that releases of hazardous substances, gases, oil droplets and other pollutants caused property damage, contaminated water supplies, health complaints and financial losses in surrounding St. Croix communities. The settling defendants deny wrongdoing and liability.
Under the settlements, eligibility generally extends to individuals and businesses that owned or rented property in the designated affected area of western St. Croix on or after February 3, 2021, or lived, worked, operated businesses or were present in that area between February 3 and May 26, 2021. Claimants must also report harm associated with the refinery incidents.
The proposed compensation covers several categories of losses, including property damage, contaminated cisterns, economic losses, physical and emotional health effects, and unreimbursed expenses. Payments will be calculated using a points-based system, with individual amounts depending on the claims approved and the money remaining after court-approved fees and expenses.
Residents can submit claims through the official settlement website, www.LimetreeBaySettlement.com, which provides claim forms, the geographic eligibility map and instructions for submitting supporting documentation.
Individuals who received notices in the mail can use the identification information provided to access the online filing system. Those who believe they qualify but did not receive a notice can contact the settlement administrator at 1-888-859-9973 for assistance.
Completed paper claims can also be mailed to the Limetree Bay Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 2420, Portland, OR 97208-2420, or submitted by email to [email protected].
In-person claim assistance is available at 27 Whim in Frederiksted and at the Computer Solutions Building in the Five Corners area of Christiansted, with operating hours published on the settlement website.
The extension does not change the administrator's published October 27 deadlines for opting out of the settlements or submitting formal objections. Those deadlines have already passed.
Final approval of the settlements remains pending. U.S. District Judge Mark A. Kearney has scheduled a hearing for December 14, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at the federal courthouse on St. Croix to determine whether the agreements should receive final approval.
If approved, settlement payments will be distributed after the agreements become final and the applicable appeal periods have expired or any appeals have been resolved. Under the settlement terms, eligible payments are to be issued within 120 days after those conditions are satisfied.
