Despite its ambitious climate goals, California lacks a concrete plan to phase out oil refineries, the state's largest source of industrial fossil fuel pollution.
Experts say California can't meet its climate targets without addressing oil refinery emissions.
Refineries are major sources of pollutants like sulfur dioxides and benzene, impacting nearby communities.
Advocates call for a gradual reduction plan for refineries over the next two decades, starting with gasoline and diesel.
Key quote:
“There are significant acute and chronic public health and climate impacts from refiners.”
— Woody Hastings, The Climate Center
Why this matters:
Refineries significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and toxic pollution, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. Phasing them out is crucial for California to meet its climate goals and protect public health.
The industry’s ballot push to roll back newly enacted safety zones would delay implementation for nearly two years, until voters decide the law’s fate in 2024.
In Port Arthur, Tex., and around the country, environmental justice activists see danger as the new climate law pairs renewable development with fossil fuels.
