On Tuesday, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District hit the MRC Company with a notice of violation for public nuisance. Here is a copy of their incident report.
According to the Air District, at 4:26 PM the Air District received a Contra Costa County Community Warning System (CWS) Level 1 alert filed by Martinez Refining Company (MRC) regarding a grass fire. The alert specifically stated that the smoke was from a grass fire. The alert did not mention flaring directly, but when Air District staff contacted MRC to discuss the CWS Level 1 alert, they said the grass fire was caused by “the heat of the flare.”
Air District Incident Response staff contacted MRC at 5:21 PM and were told that the grass fire had started at about 4:20 PM and was extinguished at approximately 5:10 PM. Two Air District staff were called out to the Martinez area to investigate.
Five complaints alleging smoke and/or odor were filed between 4:30 PM and 5:07 PM. The photo (see main image) of the grass fire was provided to the Air District by a complainant. The wind during the event was Northeast at 8-15 miles per hour.
Based on the smoke plume observed, the Air District staff questioned MRC staff on a grass fire being the sole cause. At that time, an MRC representative told Air District staff that it was a grass fire.
December 18, 2023
Air District staff, with Contra Costa County HazMat and Contra Costa County Fire personnel returned to MRC Refinery in the morning to jointly investigate the previous day’s event. The Air District investigation is ongoing and we will update this report as new information becomes available.
At this time, the Air District has issued the following Notice of Violations (NOV) to MRC for this event:
- Regulation 1, Section 301 – Public Nuisance
- Regulation 6, Rule 1, Section 301 – Visible emission standard exceeded
- Regulation 40 CFR 63.670(c) – Federal visible emissions standard exceeded
- Regulation 5, Section 301 – Illegal fire on a no burn day
Previous MRC Refinery Stories:
- Nov 17, 2023 – Joint Civil Enforcement Action Announced Against Martinez Refining Company
- Oct 6 – Contra Costa Health Investigating Coke Dust Release at Martinez Refining Company
- July 14 – Report Shows No Ongoing Risk to Public Health from Martinez Refinery Coke Dust Release
- July 12: Malhi Issues Statement on Latest Martinez Refining Incident
- July 11: Contra Costa Health Investigating Coke Dust Release at MRC Refinery
- June 8: Risk Assessment Finds Martinez Refinery Release Did Not Increase Risk of Exposure to Hazardous Metals in Local Soils
- May 17: Health Advisory Lifted After Weeklong Mercury Cleanup in Martinez
- May 4 – Soil Sampling Being Done Around Martinez Refinery to Assess Health Risks
- March 7 – Health Department Safety Advice on Gardening to Residents who Live Near Martinez Refinery
- Feb 24 – County Offers Gardening Tip After Spent Catalyst Possibly Made Way into Martinez Soil
- Jan 5 – Health Department Asks DA to Pursue Legal Action Against Martinez Refining Company
- Dec 31, 2022 – Martinez Refining Company Says Maintenance Work Could Result in Flaring
- Dec 23, 2022 – Martinez Refining Company Statement on Thursday Flaring
- Dec 19, 2022 – Martinez Announces Town Hall Meeting to Discuss Martinez Refining Company Incidents
- Dec 14, 2022 – Contra Costa Health Recommends an Independent Investigation of Martinez Refinery Release
- Dec 9, 2022 – Flaring Friday Night
- Nov 30, 2022 – Hazardous Materials Release at Martinez Oil Refinery Contained Heavy Metals
- Nov 29, 2022 – Test Show White Dust Released in Martinez Was “Spent Catalyst”
- Nov 28, 2022 – Ash-Like Substance Being Investigated in Martinez, Company Offers Free Car Wash
