Don’t Let Big Oil Pollute and Run.
Communities deserve to know how refineries will clean up their mess.
Refineries are closing — in California and across the country. But there’s no proactive plan for managing their clean up or for revitalizing the land. When oil executives are done squeezing profits out of a refinery, they cut and run, leaving communities with questions no one will answer: How bad is the contamination? How much will the cleanup cost? Who pays?
Unlike other polluting industries, refineries are not required to fully disclose the extent of toxic contamination at their sites, estimate cleanup costs, or plan for full remediation before they close. That regulatory gap puts communities, workers, and taxpayers at serious risk.
There is a better way forward.
California must plan for refinery transitions responsibly.
Lawmakers can act now to require transparency, accountability, and advanced planning for cleanup. Community members who have breathed air polluted by Big Oil for generations should not be left with toxic sites in their backyards when companies walk away with their profits.
SB 1259 is common-sense legislation.
SB 1259 would close this gap in the rules – requiring oil refiners to come clean about contamination and cleanup costs before they walk away.
This information is already available to refinery owners. Californians deserve to see it.
Get the Facts!
Other Resources:
- SB 1259: Transparency for Refinery Asset Retirement Obligations
March 2026 — By Senator Catherine Blakespear - SB 1259 Support Letter to the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee
April — Signed by 50+ organizations and local elected officials
Tell Your Legislator: Pass the Refinery Transparency Act.
This bill is common-sense protection. Californians deserve to see a plan for cleanup, and taxpayers shouldn’t be left footing the bill.
Big Oil is already spreading misinformation to defeat SB 1259 – because they don’t want you to know about the mess they’re leaving behind.