Fenceline Monitoring Plans

Read about regulations governing oil refinery fenceline monitoring and view plans and data provided by the five local refineries.

Refinery Fenceline Monitoring Regulations

Fenceline air monitoring at refineries is used to measure specific pollutants that cross the facility’s fenceline in real time. The systems have the ability to monitor, record, and report air pollutant levels of multiple compounds. The Air District's Regulation 12, Rule 15 - Refining Emissions Tracking Rule includes a requirement that Bay Area refineries establish Air Monitoring Plans and operate fenceline air monitoring systems consistent with guidelines developed by the Air District.

These guidelines require that each refinery post their fenceline monitoring data to a website where the near real-time results can be viewed by the public. Links to each facility’s fenceline monitoring webpages are provided below:

Refinery Air Monitoring Plans

Air monitoring plans (AMPs) established under Regulation 12, Rule 15 must be consistent with guidelines established by the Air District and letters interpreting the guidelines. They must also include detailed information describing:

  • the equipment used for fence-line monitoring and recording and reporting of air pollutant levels;
  • the siting, operation, and maintenance of the equipment; and
  • procedures for implementing data quality assurance and quality control.
OCT
19
2023
The Air District disapproved revised Air Monitoring Plans (AMPs) and quality assurance project plans (QAPPs) submitted by Chevron, Phillips 66, Tesoro, and Valero to the Air District on September 5, 2023, in response to the Air District’s July 19, 2023, Notices of Deficiency (NODs). These revised AMPs and QAPPs failed to correct all the deficiencies identified in the NODs.
Documents
 
OCT
16
2023
The Air District disapproved Martinez Refining Company’s revised Air Monitoring Plan (AMP) and quality assurance project plan (QAPP) submitted to the Air District on September 1, 2023, in response to the Air District’s July 19, 2023, Notice of Deficiency (NOD). The revised AMP and QAPP failed to correct all the deficiencies identified in the NOD.
Documents
 
JUL
19
2023
The Air District issued notices of deficiency to Chevron, Martinez Refining Company, Phillips 66, Tesoro, and Valero after finding that the AMPs and Quality Assurance Project Plans they revised to address hydrogen sulfide monitoring did not meet the requirements of Section 12-15-403. The Air District also responded to public comments it received during the comment period that ran from March 20 - April 20, 2023.
Documents
 
JUN
02
2023
Within 45 days of the close of a public comment period under Section 12-15-404.3, the Air District must determine whether a revised plan meets the requirements of Section 12-15-403. This period may be extended by 45 days if necessary, as determined by the Air District’s Air Pollution Control Officer. The APCO determined such an extension was necessary to provide the Air District sufficient time to review revised draft AMPs and QAPPs submitted by all five refineries to address hydrogen sulfide monitoring, as well as public comments the Air District received during a comment period that ran from March 20, 2023 – April 20, 2023. The deadline for the Air District’s review was extended to July 19, 2023.
Documents
 
MAR
20
2023
The Air District released revised facility-proposed fenceline AMPs and QAPPs for public comment on the proposed hydrogen sulfide monitoring for the following facilities: Chevron Products Company, Martinez Refining Company, Phillips 66, Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company, and Valero Refining Company. The public comment period for these AMPs ran from March 20, 2023, to 5 PM Pacific Time on April 20, 2023.
Documents
 
DEC
22
2022
The Air District sent letters to Chevron, Martinez Refining Company, Phillips 66, Tesoro, and Valero memorializing earlier shared interpretations of the Guidelines and Air District regulation 12-15, particularly the required performance criteria for open path hydrogen sulfide emission monitoring systems.
Documents
 
AUG
25
2022
The Air District sent a notice of deficiency to Phillips 66 after completing a preliminary review of its revised AMP and QAPP and finding that the AMP and QAPP were deficient in meeting the requirements of Regulation 12-15-403. The notice of deficiency identified all the deficiencies that must be corrected to comply with Air District regulation 12-15-403.
Documents
 
JUL
15
2022
The Air District sent notices of deficiency to Chevron, Martinez Refining Company, Tesoro, and Valero after completing a preliminary review of their revised AMPs and QAPPs and finding that the AMPs and QAPPs were deficient in meeting the requirements of Air District regulation 12-15-403. The notice of deficiency identified all the deficiencies that must be corrected to comply with Air District regulation 12-15-403.
Documents
 
  • Chevron NOD 
    ,
  • MRC NOD 
    ,
  • Tesoro NOD 
    ,
  • Valero NOD 
OCT
06
2021
The Air District sent letters to Chevron, MRC, Phillips 66, Tesoro, and Valero interpreting the Guidelines, including the required performance criteria for open path hydrogen sulfide monitoring systems, and the timeline for implementation of those systems.
Documents
 
Jul
09
2018
The Air District conditionally approved an AMP submitted by Phillips 66. To maintain approval of the AMP, the refinery was required to submit a QAPP to the Air District and select an approach for monitoring hydrogen sulfide.
Documents
 
JUN
08
2018
The Air District conditionally approved AMPs submitted by Chevron, Shell (now MRC), Tesoro, and Valero. To maintain approval of the AMPs, the refineries were required to submit QAPPs to the Air District and select an approach for monitoring hydrogen sulfide.
Documents
 

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Last Updated: 5/13/2021