Despite progress last year, refinery officials have failed to restore the public trust that was shattered in 2022 and 2023. It is time for them to leave and for PBF Energy to pay a steep price
Thank you Craig for your, as always, erudite and well reported journalism. I live on the western side of downtown, and though I happened to be inside all day cocooned in my own world, when I finally did see local network video of the fire I was so appalled I was incredulous. There is NO public trust. I agree with your points. No compromise. No gladhanding. No propaganda. What else can we do? I still wonder that elected officials have not come out strongly as far as I can see. You would have reported on that. I didn’t vote for either candidate for county supervisor, but I have to ask, where is Scales Preston in all of this? Thanks Craig. You are a lifeline.
Thanks, Beth. Supervisor Scales-Preston was on site at the fire scene throughout the afternoon/evening yesterday and did speak at the press briefings. Her comments were primarily focused on the work by first responders. I will be curious what she and other local leaders have to say in the days to come.
Of course, in an evolving, fluid situation such as yesterday's, information is going to be limited on the questions the public most wants to be answered, but I was a bit annoyed by the number of comments focused on the obvious (that first responders were on the scene and doing all they could to bring the fire under control) and that there was little in the way of accountability/outrage over the fact that the refinery had allowed this to happen after everything we've gone through the past two-plus years and the lack of transparency on basic details of the fire that they should have had no trouble sharing -- such as exactly where on the refinery property it ignited and what processing units were involved. The refinery obviously knew some of these basic details but chose to hide behind the 72-hour window they're given to file their preliminary report (which I fear also will be sparse on details and possible causes).
Thanks Craig... agree 100% that it's time to do something different. The community needs to makes it's voice heard. We should not accept anything other that a complete "Safety First" culture. Not just talk.. but actual action. I disagree a bit though with your belief that the refinery cannot or should not be shut down. Yes.. people's jobs would be impacted and it may raise the price of gas at the pump, but, if the pollutants from the refinery are impacting people's health, and possibly their lives, then it should be shut down. Shell built the place more than 100 years ago. There will likely be some point where the cost of maintaining the infrastructure and safety of this refinery will exceed it's profitability. Shell Oil clearly made a financial decision to abandon it and it seems that PBF is trying to squeeze the last remaining profit out of it. Then what? Who's stuck with it... the community?
No more partnering on city cleanups; no more refinery-sponsored runs for education. Yes, the refinery has contributed significant sums of money to the community over the years, but if it truly cares about our community, it can still write those same checks, without draping them in high-profile community events and photo ops. Both the city of Martinez and the Martinez Unified School District should immediately suspend all community-based partnerships and relationships with the refinery in the wake of Saturday’s fiasco. It should be made clear to refinery officials that any financial or philanthropic contributions they offer to the community will not be met with public acknowledgement, let alone the community glad-handing that they and we have become accustomed to.
Thank you Craig for your, as always, erudite and well reported journalism. I live on the western side of downtown, and though I happened to be inside all day cocooned in my own world, when I finally did see local network video of the fire I was so appalled I was incredulous. There is NO public trust. I agree with your points. No compromise. No gladhanding. No propaganda. What else can we do? I still wonder that elected officials have not come out strongly as far as I can see. You would have reported on that. I didn’t vote for either candidate for county supervisor, but I have to ask, where is Scales Preston in all of this? Thanks Craig. You are a lifeline.
Thanks, Beth. Supervisor Scales-Preston was on site at the fire scene throughout the afternoon/evening yesterday and did speak at the press briefings. Her comments were primarily focused on the work by first responders. I will be curious what she and other local leaders have to say in the days to come.
Of course, in an evolving, fluid situation such as yesterday's, information is going to be limited on the questions the public most wants to be answered, but I was a bit annoyed by the number of comments focused on the obvious (that first responders were on the scene and doing all they could to bring the fire under control) and that there was little in the way of accountability/outrage over the fact that the refinery had allowed this to happen after everything we've gone through the past two-plus years and the lack of transparency on basic details of the fire that they should have had no trouble sharing -- such as exactly where on the refinery property it ignited and what processing units were involved. The refinery obviously knew some of these basic details but chose to hide behind the 72-hour window they're given to file their preliminary report (which I fear also will be sparse on details and possible causes).
Thanks Craig... agree 100% that it's time to do something different. The community needs to makes it's voice heard. We should not accept anything other that a complete "Safety First" culture. Not just talk.. but actual action. I disagree a bit though with your belief that the refinery cannot or should not be shut down. Yes.. people's jobs would be impacted and it may raise the price of gas at the pump, but, if the pollutants from the refinery are impacting people's health, and possibly their lives, then it should be shut down. Shell built the place more than 100 years ago. There will likely be some point where the cost of maintaining the infrastructure and safety of this refinery will exceed it's profitability. Shell Oil clearly made a financial decision to abandon it and it seems that PBF is trying to squeeze the last remaining profit out of it. Then what? Who's stuck with it... the community?
Readers: please restack this post. Please re-post on any social media (or email & text) you use.
Yes!:
No more partnering on city cleanups; no more refinery-sponsored runs for education. Yes, the refinery has contributed significant sums of money to the community over the years, but if it truly cares about our community, it can still write those same checks, without draping them in high-profile community events and photo ops. Both the city of Martinez and the Martinez Unified School District should immediately suspend all community-based partnerships and relationships with the refinery in the wake of Saturday’s fiasco. It should be made clear to refinery officials that any financial or philanthropic contributions they offer to the community will not be met with public acknowledgement, let alone the community glad-handing that they and we have become accustomed to.
I have said this for TWO YEARS.
GLAG THE IDEA IS CATCHING ON.
THANKS Craig!