MARTINEZ – Flaring was reported Wednesday at a refinery in Martinez, marking the second such incident at a Contra Costa County refinery this week.
The flaring at a refinery operated by the Martinez Refining Company at 3485 Pacheco Blvd. followed an “operational incident” around 4:30 p.m., according to the company. The company said it issued a Community Warning System Level 1 notification and contacted the appropriate agencies.
A CWS Level 1 notification requires no action by the public.
“We have been maintaining clean combustion during the flaring, and ground-level air monitoring has shown normal measurements,” the company said in a statement. “Looking forward, we expect intermittent flaring to continue while our employees address these issues.”
A statement sent Thursday morning from the City of Martinez said that the flaring “has subsided but will continue.”
Flares are part of the refinery’s safety systems, the company said, adding that they “are designed to safely manage excess gases through efficient, effective combustion.”
Still, the company apologized to residents for “any inconvenience” the flaring caused.
Staff from both Contra Costa County Health Services and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District were in the field assessing the flare activity after the initial notification, Will Harper, a spokesman for the county agency, said Thursday.
He said county health officials determined there was no public health impact as a result of the flaring. The agency has asked the company to submit a 72-hour report, which is an initial assessment of what happened, and that the report will be posted on the health services website once it is received, Harper said.
The flaring happened the same day two Martinez residents filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging its facility has become a public nuisance that is causing severe harm to the community.
The suit demands that the company cease operations until it proves it can do so safely.
The company is also facing scrutiny for a string of industrial accidents, including the release of spent catalyst last year on Thanksgiving night. Although the company claimed the substance was “non-toxic” and “naturally occurring,” Contra Costa Health later told residents it contained barium, chromium and other harmful metals.
Flaring was also reported Monday at the Chevron refinery in Richmond. Chevron said the flaring was triggered by a loss of power to a portion of the facility, and like the Martinez Refining Company, it issued a CWS Level 1 notification. Air monitoring did not show any public health impact, according to Contra Costa Health.
Staff writer Harry Harris contributed to this report.
