"It's too early to have answers, but we've had conversations, and people have asked us to follow up in writing," [Christopher Finch] said of his agency's discussions with the federal government.

The average severance pay for those employed directly by HOVENSA will be $22,000, [Albert Bryan Jr.] said. The severance pay will mean that dislocated workers will not immediately be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, although they will be eligible for the Labor Department's other programs, Bryan said.

"For awhile, we weren't seeing any new applications," he said. "Next week, we have a hearing with five companies."