Martinez Residents Seek Answers on Toxic Refinery Release

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KQED

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 5 April 2023

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Residents of Martinez woke up the morning after Thanksgiving last year to find a white powder coating their neighborhoods. About a week later, county health officials announced it was a toxic release from Martinez Refining Co. and, after another several weeks, residents were told not to eat any food grown in their soil. Now, on Wednesday, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District will present the Martinez City council with its report on where the two tons of “spent catalyst” landed. Forum talks with residents and officials about their quest to get answers and accountability, and the uneasy relationship between the area’s refineries and the neighbors who share their air. Guests: Heidi Taylor, resident of Martinez Charles Davidson, Sunflower Alliance Matt Kaufmann, deputy director, Contra Costa Health Services Ori Tzvieli, health officer, Contra Costa County Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:46.4	Music From KQED From KQED. From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.
0:50.0	We all live with the public health effects of fossil fuel use.
0:53.7	But for those of us who live on the north side of the East Bay,
0:57.0	near the refineries in Richmond, Martinez, and Benicia, the stakes are a lot higher.
1:01.0	These facilities produce much of the fuel that powers the cars, trucks, and
1:06.0	planes of Northern California, and they have had fraught relationships with their surrounding communities
1:11.3	for decades.
1:13.0	Today we bring you the story of one scary pollution release from the refinery in Martinez, that
1:18.3	cute small town on the Karkines Strait, and how it left its residents with too many questions
1:24.1	and not enough answers.
1:25.6	That's coming up next after this news.
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