A California Assembly committee advanced SB 1259 on June 16, moving forward a bill that would require more transparency around refinery cleanup costs and timelines.
The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee approved a motion for the bill to pass as amended to the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee, according to a committee hearing summary. The hearing summary says SB 1259 is aimed at improving planning for refinery closures by requiring more disclosure of cleanup costs and duration estimates.
Testimony split along familiar lines. Supporters included local governments, water agencies, environmental groups and other organizations that said the bill would help state and local officials prepare for refinery shutdowns, cleanup and reuse. Opposition witnesses, including the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance, the California Business Roundtable and the California Chamber of Commerce, said the measure could discourage investment and raise costs.
The hearing summary also says one speaker pointed to a report on the Phillips 66 Carson Refinery that described a 16-foot-thick pool of oil beneath the site and a cleanup funding gap of more than $750 million. That figure and the report itself were cited in testimony, but the underlying report was not included in the materials reviewed for this draft.
The transcript summary notes the vote was kept open for absent members. It also does not include a final tally in the materials reviewed.
SB 1259 next goes to the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.
