Bay Area refineries lead in greenhouse gas emissions

California's largest greenhouse gas emitters, predominantly oil refineries, show a slight decrease in emissions but still pose significant environmental challenges.

Kurtis Alexander reports for the San Francisco Chronicle.

In short:

• Federal data reveals a minor decline in emissions from California's largest polluters, including power plants and chemical manufacturers, with a focus on oil refineries.
• The Bay Area hosts three of the state's top five carbon emitters, all oil refineries, highlighting a significant environmental and public health concern.
• Despite a nearly 20% reduction in emissions from large polluters over the past decade, experts argue for more stringent regulations to meet climate goals.

Key quote:

“We need to understand that refining both petroleum and biofuels has a very negative effect on our public health and obviously contributes mightily to the climate crisis.”

— Shoshana Wechsler, founding member of Sunflower Alliance

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