According to a statement from the company, the refinery is seeking closure because of the high costs and strict environmental regulations in California.
"This follows years of regulatory pressure, significant fines for air quality violations, and a recent lawsuit settlement related to environmental concerns," the statement said. "The company is also reviewing its broader operations in California as part of a strategic reassessment, which led to a $1.1 billion write-down in the value of its California refineries."
In October, Valero Energy Corp was charged nearly $82 million in fines, the largest-ever penalty by the Bay Area Air District, for a history of toxic chemical releases and other violations at its Benicia refinery dating back to 2003.
A 2019 inspection found the company failed to report toxic emissions from the facility's hydrogen system, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene -- compounds that "cause cancer, reproductive harm and other toxic health effects," according to the air district.
Air district officials said refinery management knew about the hydrogen system problems since at least 2003 but failed to report or prevent them.
https://abc7news.com/post/v.../16185632/
DB, do you think that Valero should have been given a free pass for their 22 years of illegal toxic emissions? How do you think it should have been handled?
