Air District has fined Martinez Refining Company and required enhanced air monitoring data transparency

The Air District’s Refining Emissions Tracking Rule (Regulation 12, Rule 15) requires Bay Area refineries to operate fenceline air monitoring systems that measure pollutant concentrations near their property lines. In October 2023, the Air District disapproved the Fenceline Air Monitoring Plans of all five Bay Area refineries, including MRC, because the plans did not meet rule requirements.

“Compliance with the Air District’s Refining Emissions Tracking Rule is not optional, it’s essential,” said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District. “Refineries like MRC must operate and maintain fenceline monitors, provide real-time and historical data, and submit reporting to ensure transparency and accountability. These requirements are critical for protecting public health and restoring trust in communities that have carried the burden of refinery pollution.”

Following disapproval of the plans, the Air District worked with each of the refineries to bring them into compliance. MRC is the third Bay Area refinery to resolve fenceline air monitoring noncompliance. Valero and Phillips 66 are the two remaining refineries in noncompliance, and the Air District continues to work toward resolving those cases.

The Air District’s enforcement action requires MRC to:

• Implement the approved Fenceline Air Monitoring Plan, including clearer requirements for operating, maintaining, and assessing the performance of the monitoring equipment for all pollutants to improve accountability and transparency,
• Provide public access to real-time and historical data that can be easily downloaded,
• Provide quarterly reports summarizing measured pollutant concentrations and detailing the results of quality assurance and quality control checks, and
• Pay the Air District a penalty of $20,000, with additional penalties to ensure immediate accountability if MRC violates any agreement terms.

The Air District will ensure MRC executes its obligations, while continuing to engage with the local community to ensure residents have clear, timely information.

The Air District continually improves its emissions and air quality measurement programs as technology and air quality data needs evolve, particularly for communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution. For more information about the refinery fenceline air monitoring program, visit https://bit.ly/3M2ObXN.

View press release(142 Kb PDF, 2 pgs, posted 23/12/2025).