Air quality regulators seek abatement order against Valero refinery in Benicia

Regulators are seeking an abatement order against the Valero refinery in Benicia to stop what it calls ongoing violations, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said Thursday.

The air district wants to require Valero to install pollution control equipment on eight pressure relief devices (PRDs), which are safety measures used to prevent extreme overpressures that the district says could "cause catastrophic equipment failure."

According to the district, these controls are required when a refinery experiences two or more pressure releases within five years.

"Valero's PRDs have been subject to these requirements for years, and in some cases for over a decade," BAAQMD officials said, "but Valero has failed to install the required pollution control equipment."
Air district chief counsel Alexander Crockett called Valero's alleged violations "extensive" and "of great concern."

Valero did not respond to a request for comment.

The alleged violations were discovered when the air district investigated other violations involving Valero's hydrogen system. An abatement order was issued in 2022 for what the district said were excessive emissions from the refinery's hydrogen system for over 10 years.

An abatement order is separate from any monetary penalties that the BAAQMD could impose for violations, according to the district.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $1.2 million settlement with Valero in April to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act at the oil giant's Benicia refinery.