Background

Flares are devices used to control and safely burn excess gases from various industrial processes. While flaring reduces the potential impacts of uncombusted releases by oxidizing hydrocarbons primarily to carbon dioxide and water, flare operation can also generate byproducts and other impacts, including emissions, noise, and large visible flames. 

Rule 12-11 requires monitoring, recordkeeping, and measurement of the composition and volume of gases flared at refineries, and Rule 12-12 established requirements to reduce emissions at refineries by decreasing flaring frequency, magnitude, and duration. Over the past two decades since the adoption of Rules 12-11 and 12-12, more stringent requirements for refinery flaring have been adopted at the federal level and by other California air districts to further reduce emissions and minimize the impacts associated with flaring on air quality and the surrounding communities.

The Air District has made commitments to explore ways to minimize flaring in the Air District’s 2024-2029 Strategic Plan and in the Assembly Bill 617 Richmond–North Richmond–San Pablo Community Emissions Reduction Plan (CERP), Path to Clean Air. Potential strategies in the plans include evaluating rule stringency and improving monitoring, reporting, and notification requirements related to flares.

Concept Paper

The Air District has published a concept paper that presents potential regulatory concepts intended to reduce refinery flaring emissions and frequency, with an emphasis on minimizing preventable flaring and achieving meaningful emissions reductions. It also presents concepts to strengthen Flare Minimization Plans, monitoring, and reporting, which are anticipated to improve transparency, accessibility, efficiency, and enforceability.

• Concept Paper for Amendments to Rules 12-11 and 12-12(1 Mb PDF, 38 pgs, posted 8/18/2026)
• Workshop Notice and Request for Comments – Concept Paper for Amendments to Rules 12-11 and 12-12(151 Kb PDF, 2 pgs, posted 8/17/2026)  (Tagalog | tiếng Việt | Español | 中文 )

The Air District is accepting public comments on these materials through October 5, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Written comments will be accepted through the Air District’s public comment tool.

The Air District invites public feedback on these documents and will consider all input received during the comment period and public workshops toward further development of these amendments. 

To view or download the documents, please visit the “Documents” section at the bottom of this web page.

To receive information on updates and events associated with further Refinery Flares rule development activities, please sign up for the Air District's Refinery Rules - Rules and Regulations Email List at the bottom of this page.

Concept Paper Public Workshops

The Air District will host two hybrid public workshops during the public comment period to provide the public with an opportunity to learn about, discuss, and comment on the concept paper for amendments to Rules 12-11 and 12-12. Both workshops will provide the same information and opportunity for public input. The workshops will be conducted as follows:

• Martinez Public Workshop: 
  • Date/Time: September 16, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
  • Locations:
    • In-person:
      Martinez Event Center
      524 Main Street
      Martinez, CA 94553
    • Virtual: via webcast
  • Please register for the workshop here.

• Richmond Public Workshop: 
  • Date/Time: September 24, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
  • Locations:
    • In-person: 
      Richmond Convention Center
      403 Civic Center Plaza
      Richmond, CA 94804
    • Virtual: via webcast
  • Please register for the workshop here.

Refinery Technical Working Group

To support ongoing and upcoming rule development on regulations affecting refinery sources, the Air District initiated the Refinery Technical Working Group (RTWG). The RTWG is composed of Air District staff, refinery representatives, community members, local government staff, advocacy group representatives, and other members to gather information and opinions from stakeholders on a variety of topics related to refinery rulemaking.

The RTWG convened in June 2025, August 2025, February 2026, and July 2026 to discuss flare-related topics, including discussing potential concepts for this flare rule development effort in February 2026 and July 2026.

For more information on the RTWG and to view meeting materials and recordings, visit the Refinery Technical Working Group webpage.

Refinery Flares Information

The Air District is developing “Flaring 101” to provide the public more information on what flaring is and why it occurs. Currently, the Air District has published a “Refinery Flaring Fact Sheet.”

• Publications:
  • Refinery Flaring Fact Sheet (Tagalog | tiếng Việt | Español | 中文 )

To view refinery flare data, reports, and plans required by Rules 12-11 and 12-12, please visit the links below.

• Flare Trends and Data
• Refinery Flare Monitoring Data
• Flare Causal Reports
• Flare Minimization Plans

Hearings, Workshops and Other Events

Throughout the rule development process, we provide information on upcoming and past workshops, hearings, and other events.

Documents

Supporting materials, such as staff reports, regulatory language, and other technical documents related to rule development, are posted throughout the development process.

Comments

The Air District provides opportunities for the public to submit comments throughout the development process, and posts comments received during the open public comment periods.