Sacramento, Calif. – On August 8, 2024, the California Legislature approved Senate Bill 674 The Refinery Pollution Reduction and Transparency Act by Majority Leader Gonzalez (D – Long Beach). The bill establishes a statewide standard for air monitoring at refineries, ensuring toxic pollutants are measured and best practices are used to protect fenceline communities. It now heads to the Governor’s desk for approval.

This bill is a robust policy with numerous research-based provisions aimed at better protecting fenceline communities living and working near refineries. It requires refineries to provide timely public notifications, including emails and texts, when toxic emissions exceed threshold levels. It requires quarterly reports, readily accessible real-time air monitor data, third-party audits, and a root-cause analysis within 24 hours of an incident. Furthermore, both the root-cause analysis and corrective actions must be made public within 14 days.

The Refinery Pollution Reduction and Transparency Act is the culmination of years of advocacy by environmental justice leaders and community members who have experienced the dangers of living near refineries firsthand. For years, these communities have endured incidents such as entire neighborhoods being covered in white ash, explosions that feel like earthquakes, and a persistent putrid smell of rotten eggs. Senate Bill 674 is a much-needed policy that will improve public health and the quality of life for people living near refineries.

“The success of SB 674 today is a promising and motivating milestone for fenceline communities,” said Majority Leader Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). “This bill will establish a standardized air monitoring system that demands transparency from refineries about the toxic chemicals they release and ensure the best practices and technologies are in place to prevent the refinery dangers our communities have endured for years. As the bill moves to its final step, I urge Governor Newsom to sign it into law to safeguard the health and wellbeing of Californians who have been harmed by refinery pollution for far too long.”
  
“SB 674 is crucial for California residents like me, who've lived near refineries for decades in West Long Beach and Carson. SB 674 doesn't solve all the exposures we deal with, but it is a commitment to understanding the toxic air pollution fenceline communities have been breathing for years,” said Jan Victor Andasan, Community Organizer at East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice. “We are hopeful that Governor Newsom will uphold environmental justice and swiftly turn this much-needed bill into law."

“For too long, communities living next to dangerous refineries have been denied transparency about the toxic emissions this industry spews into homes, schools, and churches every day,” said Oscar Espino-Padron, Senior Attorney at Earthjustice’s Community Partnerships Program. “SB 674 closes senseless loopholes and sets up the robust state-wide air monitoring system that families and workers deserve. We urge Governor Newsom to sign SB 674 without delay.”

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Majority Leader Gonzalez represents the 33rd Senate District, which encompasses the City of Long Beach and portions of South Los Angeles and Southeast Los Angeles, including the cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Lakewood, Lynwood, Maywood, Paramount, Signal Hill, and South Gate. In the Senate, she advocates for working families and champions various priorities, such as fighting for a clean environment, digital equity, LGBTQ+ and women's rights, and the economic prosperity of small businesses. Her landmark legislative achievements include bills enacted to end neighborhood oil drilling, provide broadband for all, and expand paid sick leave. Majority Leader Gonzalez also serves as Vice Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. She lives in Long Beach with her family. To learn more about Majority Leader Gonzalez, visit her website at www.sen.ca.gov/gonzalez.

East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice (EYCEJ) is a community-based organization that works to facilitate self-advocates in East Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles and Long Beach. EYCEJ is working towards a safe and healthy environment for communities that are disproportionately suffering the negative impacts of industrial pollution.

Earthjustice’s Community Partnerships Program (CPP) provides legal and advocacy resources to local leaders demanding a safe, just, and healthy environment in which their communities can thrive – no matter how long the fight. CPP works hand-in-hand with frontline communities to remove environmental hazards and secure access to environmental benefits. CPP acts collectively with our community partners to challenge harmful social and political structures, and to improve the environmental conditions in neighborhoods. CPP supports community-led movements using a full range of advocacy strategies to challenge the status quo.