Odor from St. Croix's Limetree Bay refinery shuts schools twice in a month By Laura Sanicola Reuters (Reuters) -The Limetree Bay refinery in St. Croix is releasing "light hydrocarbon odors" due to maintenance being conducted on its coker unit, prompting nearby schools to dismiss students, the company and the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Education said on Thursday. Three St. Croix schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands closed campuses on Thursday due to a noxious odor affecting air quality on campus, the department said. "We will continue to monitor the situation, but there is the potential for additional odors while maintenance continues," the company said, apologizing for the impact on the local community.