New regulations under consideration by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) offer a unique opportunity to drastically reduce air pollution emissions. Rule 6-5 has two options to restrict the role of our local refineries in driving these emissions. (See our past post on this rule at https://www.sunflower-alliance.org/sign-a-petition-for-the-strongest-refinery-pollution-rule-testify-december-17/.)
Due to broad community organizing and pressure, BAAQMD will conduct a video workshop on this rule on Thursday, February 4th. Directions to join this workshop can be found below.
If the District passes the strongest version of rule 6-5, this would be the strongest pollution regulation of the Chevron and PBF/Shell refineries in the last several years.
Microscopic soot particles are the primary driver of the deadly health impacts of air pollution. These are largely produced by the fossil fuel pipeline, including “stationary” sources such as oil extraction and refineries, and “mobile” sources, i.e. transportation. Of all the stationary sources in the Bay Area, the primary contributors are the refineries. Within the refineries, the major source of this particulate matter (PM 2.5, or particles smaller than 2.5 microns, or millionths of a meter) are the units used to break down heavy crude oil into useable fuels. These are the “Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units” or FCCU’s—and Rule 6-5 would address these cat crackers directly.
WHEN
BAAQMD Workshop: Thursday, February 4, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
WHERE
BAAQMD Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85296925189