Air Quality Lawsuit Adds to Oil Refinery’s Woes

An idle refinery in Bakersfield is stirring up trouble as residents fight to keep in inactive. The refinery has been issued a permit to restart and expand operations. However, due to a downturn in the economy and the price of oil, restarting operations may not be feasible. Residents and clean air proponents are fighting to ensure the plant stays closed.

“Residents of Bakersfield breathe some of the most polluted air in the nation, thanks to a confluence of vehicle exhaust, industrial operations, and stagnant valley air. In an effort to combat pollution, air quality advocates are now targeting a potential source of emissions that, at the moment, is not even operating.”

Air Quality Lawsuit Adds to Oil Refinery’s Woes, by Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio, May 20, 2016.