CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands — The sale of a defunct oil refinery in the U.S. Virgin Islands has stalled.
Gov. John P. de Jongh Jr. said Saturday that he sent a letter to the Hovensa refinery's owners informing them that legislators this week rejected a bill that would have governed a possible sale.
De Jongh said officials will resume collecting a 6 percent tax on certain shipments of petroleum products being temporarily held at the refinery for storage.
The refinery on St. Croix was a joint venture of U.S.-based Hess Corp. and Venezuela's state-owned oil company. It closed in January 2012 following years of weak demand and high operating costs.
