Air District Reaches $345K Settlement With Benicia Valero Refinery Over 2017 Violations

BENICIA (CBS SF) – The Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced Thursday that they have reached a $345,000 settlement with Valero over violations at its Benicia refinery in 2017.

According to an agency statement, the settlement addresses 17 notices of violations at the facility. Violations include excessive visible emissions, exceeding limits on carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, along with violations on late reporting.

"The hundreds of emissions points at each refinery require regular inspections, monitoring and data review by the Air District," said Damian Breen, the agency's senior deputy executive officer of operations/enforcement. "Penalties resulting from that oversight ensure that facilities fix and avoid future air quality violations. This helps to protect public health."

Agency officials said the violations leading up to the settlement have been corrected.

Thursday's settlement is unrelated to an abatement order issued against the refinery last week over unreported emissions that the air district was not aware of for years. The air district said that penalties regarding the abatement order have yet to be determined.