Senate hearing on refinery closures spotlights cleanup costs, worker risks and fuel‑supply tradeoffs

Summary

State agencies, researchers, labor and community groups told the Senate Environmental Quality Committee that California must plan proactively for refinery closures to avoid large cleanup bills, protect workers, and preserve fuel reliability; industry blamed state policy for closures and urged action to preserve in‑state refining.

The California State Senate Environmental Quality Committee on March 1 held a multi‑panel informational hearing on the environmental and community impacts of refinery closures, with witnesses urging clearer data, mandatory disclosure of end‑of‑life costs, and state planning to limit social and fiscal shocks.

Committee Chair Blakespear opened the hearing by restricting the panel’s scope to environmental considerations and asked agency officials to lay out what is known and what is not. Siva Gunda, vice chair of the California Energy Commission, said the state is in a ‘‘mid‑transition’’ phase: gasoline demand is beginning to decline but remains substantial, and every refinery departure would create a “double‑digit percent” drop in refining capacity that must be met by imports or storage. ‘‘You cannot collapse one energy system before the next one is built,’’ he said, urging coordinated, long‑term planning.

Why it matters: Panelists warned that unplanned or poorly managed closures can create three linked risks — sudden loss…

Senate hearing on refinery closures spotlights cleanup costs, worker risks and fuel‑supply tradeoffs

Summary

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