Torrance, CA - Statement from Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi on the South Coast Air Quality Management District Administrative Committee’s safety recommendations for the Torrance Refinery:
“I have been working with the South Coast Air Quality Management District to fight for safer refineries not only in Torrance but throughout the state. It is great news that the City of Torrance and Sonoma Technology will be receiving $3 million to install refinery air quality monitors and upgrades to the community emergency alert system. However, there is still much more to be done. I have introduced a package of bills to make our refineries safer, including a proposed ban on hydrofluoric acid. We need to keep fighting to protect refinery workers and all residents who live near refineries.”
Assemblymember Muratsuchi’s “California Refinery Jobs and Safety Action Plan,” which includes four bills on refinery safety:
- AB 1645, which will ban the use of Hydrofluoric Acid at California refineries.
- AB 1646, which requires the refinery to maintain a publicly accessible risk management plan including notification to residents in emergencies (reverse 911, text, email, PSAs) and public alerts (alarms, sirens, etc)
- AB 1647 will require that the refinery install and maintain air quality monitors at both fence-line and in the community, and require that the refinery publicly report the readings from the monitors in real-time.
- AB 1648 Increases the number of refinery inspectors at Cal/OSHA.
- AB 1649 will codify and make permanent the existing Interagency Refinery Task Force created by Governor Jerry Brown.
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi represents California’s 66th Assembly District, which includes El Camino Village, Gardena, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Torrance, and West Carson. He serves as Chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace. Muratsuchi is a member of the Assembly Committees on Budget, Budget Subcommittee 2, Appropriations, Natural Resources, Utilities and Energy, and Veterans Affairs.
CONTACT: Kerry Townsend Jacob, kerry.jacob@asm.ca.gov, 310-806-0893