Benicia Contends With Valero Refinery Closure
We talk about the potential closure of the Benicia refinery and what it means for our region.
May 5, 2025
55 min
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2,807 of 3,393
May 5, 2025
Benicia Contends With Valero Refinery Closure
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Benicia Contends With Valero Refinery Closure
Summary
Last month, Oil Giant Valero announced it would “restructure, or cease operations” at its Benicia refinery by the end of April 2026, as California transitions away from fossil fuels. The news left city officials, workers and residents scrambling to figure out what to do next. Valero is the city’s largest employer and a significant taxpayer, but also a source of pollution. We talk about the possible closure and what it means for our region.
Guests:
Julie Small, criminal justice reporter, KQED
Severin Borenstein, professor at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and a faculty director of The Energy Institute at Haas
Josh Sonnenfeld, senior California strategist, BlueGreen Alliance
Steve Young, mayor, Benicia
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