Supervisors poised to attack our refineries – again

We're always on high alert for proposed policies and projects (even in their most preliminary stages) that threaten the business community and our BizFed members – even in the lead-up to a high stakes Super Bowl weekend. As part of a last-minute board agenda addition, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors inserted Item 41-F right before the weekend to consider asking the state to intervene in the operations of two refineries that power essential services and jobs.

BACKGROUND
The Torrance Refinery and the Valero Refinery in Wilmington use Modified Hydrofluoric Acid (MHF). The alkylation process is needed to meet the states required gasoline standard. These refineries produce cleaner-burning gasoline that powers the goods movement industry, people and our economy. 

THE ISSUE
County supervisors are asking the state to intervene and require Torrance Refinery and Valero Refinery to abandon MHF and force unproven technology to process their fuel, which would cost hundreds of millions of dollars without any guarantee of a safe and effective transition. The refineries have spent millions of dollars on additional safety upgrades, when they were already safe! 

Further, the Board of Supervisors is asking the county to work with the refineries on risk assessment and reporting requirements – which they already have! The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) worked with the refineries for 3 years and came to an agreement in September 2019 to enhance safety measures which requires the refineries to submit quarterly updates on installation progress. 

Valero Wilmington Refinery is on track to complete all SCAQMD action items by March 31st, 2022. Torrance Refinery has already completed all SCAQMD action items. 

The ordinance the county is considering is not only unnecessary, it undermines the SCAQMD process the refineries already have in place. We don't need more duplicative policies in the South Coast Basin. It drains resources, slows economic growth, kills good-paying jobs, and not necessary.

Let the Supervisors know - send them a letter today!