Update 5/24/23

Senate Passes—Onward to Assembly!

Great news for folks who live near refineries—SB 674 has passed the Senate! Now it’s onward to the Assembly and then (hopefully) to Governor Newsom’s desk. All three of our county’s senators—Dodd, Glazer, and Skinner—voted YES on this important bill. A big shout out to all of you who called and emailed them!

Contact Your Senators Prior to Monday’s Vote on SB 674

SB 674 is headed to the Senate floor! This important bill will make sure that refineries protect the health of people who live nearby. It creates a statewide standard for the refinery fence-line monitoring program, ensuring that noxious pollutants are measured and best practices are deployed to protect the well-being of surrounding communities.

UPDATE 5/16/23: The vote, originally thought to come as soon as the afternoon of Monday, May 15, has been delayed. A firm floor vote date has not been provided, though it could come as early as next week, so we have a little more time to contact our senators and urge their support.

Please call or email your state senator today, and tell them to vote YES on SB 674! If their office is closed, leave a voicemail message. Calls are more effective than emails.

Who’s your senator?

Click on a senator’s name to see a map of their district.

Steve Glazer            District 7        916-651-4007

Nancy Skinner        District 9        916-651-4009

Bill Dodd                 District 3        916-651-4003

Suggested phone script

My name is __, and I live in (city or town). As your constituent, I urge you to support SB 674, the Refinery Air Pollution Transparency and Reduction Act. The refineries have not been doing an adequate job of monitoring and reducing their toxic emissions, and I am very concerned about the threat to our communities’ health. Please vote YES on SB 674.

Suggested email  

Dear Senator ___,

As your constituent and a resident of (city or town), I urge you to support SB 674, the Refinery Air Pollution Transparency & Reduction Act. I am very concerned about neighboring refineries’ conduct and lack of transparency.

 

SB 674 addresses critical gaps in the implementation of AB 1647 (2017 – Muratsuchi), and at an insignificant cost to state taxpayers. SB 674 would require refineries to conduct third-party audits of their monitoring systems, ensure proper facility coverage, provide adequate public notification when emissions thresholds are exceeded, and make data from the fence-line monitors readily accessible to the public.

I believe that the Act is crucial to our city and to many others in your district, and urge your yes vote.