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Sen. Blake Spear’s SB 1259 requires refinery closure plans; committee sends bill to appropriations
Summary
The Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee advanced SB 1259, requiring refineries to submit decommissioning and remediation plans and cost/timeline estimates to help communities and the state plan for eventual closures; the bill passed out of committee as amended and drew support from affected cities and environmental groups and opposition from refinery and labor representatives.
Sen. Blake Spear introduced SB 1259 to require petroleum refineries to prepare and periodically update decommissioning and remediation plans that estimate cleanup costs and timelines so host communities and state agencies can plan for reuse and environmental remediation. “When a refinery closes, communities are left in the dark,” Spear told the committee, arguing the bill aligns refinery reporting with existing requirements for other energy sectors.
Benicia City Council member Carrie Birds Eye, who testified as a primary witness in support, said her city is already living through a closure and needs information now. “The closure of the refinery will hit our local economy hard in the near term, putting an estimated $10,000,000 hole in our local tax revenue,” Birds Eye said, urging the committee to approve the measure. Ranjeet Deshmukh, an energy‑transition researcher at UC Santa Barbara, told lawmakers the bill does not require retirement dates but asks refiners to provide advance planning estimates to aid community and state planning.
Industry witnesses, led by Zach Leary of the Western States Petroleum Association, urged caution and urged a no vote in part because of market and federal reporting concerns and the scope of late‑break amendments. “We respectfully request a no vote on SB 12 59,” Leary said. Labor testimony from the State Building Construction Trades Council also urged the committee to consider workforce and affordability impacts.
After questions about timing, confidentiality and whether the statute would generate misleading market signals, the committee took a roll call and ordered SB 1259 "do pass as amended to Appropriations." The motion was made on the record; the roll was left open for absent members to add on.
