Earlier this month, American energy company Phillips 66 announced it would close its Southern California refinery complex. For over a century, Phillips 66 has pumped out millions of barrels of gasoline at its refineries in Wilmington and Carson. While it provided fuel for drivers across the state, it released harmful heat-trapping emissions and pollutants and led to public health issues such as asthma and cancer in communities near the plants.
The closure of Phillips 66’s refineries comes at the beginning of what is likely to be a decades-long road to a fully clean transportation system. It also underscores the need for planning to ensure the transition to transportation powered by renewable energy resources is safe and fair. Oil companies like Phillips 66 make decisions based on their financial interests. They cannot be relied upon to ensure the needs of their soon-to-be unemployed workers are met, nearby communities long harmed by their pollution are protected from further injury, and former refinery sites are properly cleaned up and restored.
With legislation signed by Governor Newsom last year, California has wisely begun planning for this transition. The state’s plan must prepare for bumps on the road to clean transportation, hold the oil industry accountable for its actions and put Californians above oil industry profits.
A fact sheet authored by UCS Senior Scientists and Director of Fuels Policy Jeremy Martin maps out a clean energy transition plan that supports communities and the environment.