June 16, 2026
The Honorable Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris
Chair, Assembly Utilities and Energy
1020 N Street, Room 121
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Senate Bill 1259 (Blakespear): SUPPORT
Dear Chair Petrie-Norris,
The Richmond City Council supports Senate Bill 1259, Transparency for Refinery Asset Retirement Obligations. California communities and whole regions are severely impacted by pollution from refineries, and the cost of cleaning up the land cannot be left to our residents. SB 1259 will equip the state of California and communities with the necessary information to actively plan for land revitalization and reuse, giving communities burdened by legacy pollution an opportunity to actively dream of a different future.
Oil Refining is in decline nationally and internationally due to global market dynamics, declining demand for gas and diesel, corporate consolidation, and aging infrastructure and maintenance costs. The lack of defined refinery transition plans has and will continue to negatively impact communities and workers if not planned and supported. These closures need to be managed, beginning with transparent planning and disclosure of legacy pollution and cleanup obligations.
When refineries close, the sites require extensive clean-up and remediation. There is little publicly available information about refinery plans to do so, costs, or how the process would be funded. SB 1259 creates transparency in a deeply opaque industry that utilizes loopholes to shield information from the public. By requiring refiners to file decommissioning and remediation plans, with associated cost estimates, this bill would allow decision makers and communities to consider the timeline of land revitalization for community uses.
The transparency created by SB 1259 is generally standard across the rest of the energy sector: oil refineries are unique in having little to no requirements for decommissioning or remediation plans, or financial assurances. Refineries handle some of the most toxic substances in the state, yet they are badly under-regulated compared to other energy systems. SB 1259 is a small but important step to bring refineries up to date with basic information-sharing requirements. This transparency will help ensure that taxpayers are not stuck with the cost of cleaning up after polluters who have profited off California communities for decades.
As we transition away from expensive and harmful fossil fuels, it is crucial that the state plan ahead for refinery closures. We strongly support SB 1259 as a practical step to improve transparency, inform planning, and support California’s transition to a cleaner and more reliable energy future.
Sincerely,