Martinez Refinery Release Aftermath: City Council To Receive Report

MARTINEZ, CA — The Martinez City Council will hear a report Wednesday night concerning the investigation into the "spent catalyst" release from the Martinez Refining Company (MRC) on Nov. 24-25.

The refinery released more than 20 tons of metal-laden dust over Thanksgiving weekend without notifying the community via the county emergency system or the county health services department, both of which are required by law.

The release started around 9:30 p.m. Nov. 24 and continued into the early hours of Nov. 25, showering the surrounding community in the dust-like substance. Samples of the dust later showed elevated levels of aluminum, barium, chromium, nickel, vanadium and zinc, all of which can cause respiratory problems.

County health officials said they learned about the release via media reports a day and a half after it began. The county formed an 11-member independent panel to investigate the incident and have referred the case to the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office.

The health department last month warned nearby residents not to eat food grown in their gardens at the time of the release.

City staff said in a report for Wednesday's meeting, "The aftermath of this incident has led to extensive community angst and frustration, in addition to drawing upon significant city resources."

The report also mentions, while the city doesn't have regulatory authority over MRC, it is closely monitoring the investigations by county health officials and the District Attorney's Office. It also says the city is "closely monitoring the activities of MRC," as well as "communicating as needed when pertinent information becomes available."

Martinez Assistant City Manager Lauren Sugayan is a member of the 11-person investigative body. She also prepared the report for Wednesday's meeting that says the Martinez Police Department has been working with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and representatives of the community warning system "to understand opportunities to improve the system."

The Martinez Refining Company Oversight Committee holds its next virtual meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday. Information about the meeting can be found at Cchealth.org/hazmat/mrc.

The committee has met twice, launching a request for proposals to hire consultants to conduct a root cause analysis of the incident and conduct a community risk assessment, including soil sampling. The committee has also interviewed consultants.

The Martinez City Council meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 525 Henrietta St. in Martinez. The meeting can be joined virtually on Zoom.

By Tony Hicks. Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.