Shell And Tesoro On The EPA 'Watch List'

The Shell Martinez Refinery and Tesoro Refinery are both on a “watch list” compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency, a list of 464 facilities around the country which includes “recidivist and chronically noncomplying facilities whose violations have not been formally addressed by either the state or the EPA," according to a story in iWatch and NPR.

The watch list has been kept secret up to now. It was made public after NPR and the Center for Public Integrity filed a Freedom of Information request.

Steve Lesher, spokesman for Shell Martinez, said he was surprised to learn that the facility was on the list.

“From a local standpoint, we just saw the list and is not clear why we are on it,” he said. “I can tell you that along with safety, environmental performance and protection is our highest priority.  We operate within some of the most stringent regulations in the world here in the Bay Area, and we aim to achieve the standards put before us.  I am confident that if there are any issues related to this list, they will be addressed if they have not been already (much of this appears to be very dated info).  I think it’s also important to note that Shell Martinez has achieved and continues to maintain ISO-14001 certification for our environmental management systems.  ISO 14001 is a rigorous international environmental standard that is difficult to obtain.  We are the only refinery in the Bay Area to have this.”

Tesoro Refinery said that it could not comment because there was no indication why it was on the list.