We remain focused on our mission to regain the trust of the Martinez community through transparent communication and reliable operations. To improve our performance, we have been busy implementing a “Training and Reliability Plan.”

Here is a summary of our plan:

Enhancing training and development for all our employees

• Approximately half of our workforce has been hired since 2020
• We’ve been actively hiring and qualifying our new team members and are now focused on advanced training and accelerating experience-building

Increasing training resources

• We’ve nearly doubled the size of our training department
• Refinery department leaders are overseeing training plans for their teams
• We are bringing in internal and external subject matter experts and retirees as trainers

Significantly investing in critical refinery utility systems to improve reliability

• Focus is on our steam, air, and electrical systems
• Including projected capital spend in 2024, we will have invested more than $530,000,000 directly into the refinery since 2020

We’ve expanded our leadership ranks, including:

• Added a new “Operations Excellence Manager” to improve the performance and leadership of our shift organization
• Re-structured and increased Safety and Environmental staffing levels, including a “Goal Zero Supervisor”
• PBF Energy created a new “Western Region Senior Director of Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE)” position to provide additional support

All of us at the refinery know we must earn the right to operate in the Martinez community through safe and reliable operations. We will continue to work hard to regain the trust of the Martinez community and look forward to seeing the results of our Training and Reliability Plan over time.

MRC Drops Lawsuit Challenging Rule 6-5

We are pleased to announce that the Bay Area Quality Management District (BAAQMD) has approved an Alternative Emission Monitoring System (AEMS) that will enable Martinez Refining Company to comply with Rule 6-5, effective July 2026. In response, we withdrew our lawsuit against the BAAQMD challenging the rule. 

Following adoption of Rule 6-5 by the BAAQMD in July 2021, MRC worked with technical experts in process engineering and air quality to develop a plan to further reduce particulate emissions from our Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit that was ultimately the basis of the AEMS. 

We appreciate our employees and consultants whose ingenuity and hard work led to an innovative technical solution to comply with the rule, as well as the BAAQMD for working constructively with us to arrive at our mutually desired goal of improving air quality in the Bay Area.  

You can read more about the settlement at the Air District’s website here. 

Upcoming Investment in the Refinery

Soon we will be investing more than $70 million in the refinery for maintenance projects. The work will begin in late April and last several weeks. More than 600 Building Trades craftworkers will be employed to do the work.

These projects are part of a major investment in the reliability and future of our refinery. We have carefully planned the work to minimize impact to our neighbors, who will receive informational letters about the work before we begin the projects.

Refinery Fenceline Monitoring Program

Did you know? The public can view real-time air monitoring measurements 24/7/365 on our fenceline air monitoring website.

Our monitoring program uses high-tech sensors to monitor in real-time specific emissions that may cross the facility’s fenceline. Our systems can monitor, record, and report multiple compounds.

We have Air Monitoring Plans and operate our fenceline air monitoring system consistent with guidelines developed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Our Economic Contribution

Save the Date for the 22^nd Annual MRC-MEF Run for Education, September 28, 2024. Martinez Unified School Students have been designing logos for the 22nd Annual MRC MEF Run for Education with the theme: “Twenty-Two Years of Teamwork.” The Martinez Education Foundation (MEF) will be announcing the logo contest winner soon.

Family Fun Night will be September 27, at our Clubhouse. Martinez Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs provide dinner and beverages, and all proceeds go to MEF. 

MRC sponsors the Career Club at the Boys & Girls Club of Contra Costa. Various community partners participate in the weekly meetings, and each month MRC introduces Club Members to various careers, such as Chemistry, Engineering, Firefighting, and Operations. 

MRC and community volunteers collected 57 pounds of trash during Martinez Downtown Clean-Up Day on February 3, 2024. A big thank you to our community partners who joined us at the clean-up, the Friends of Alhambra Creek, Martinez Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club of Martinez, Downtown Martinez & Co., City of Martinez, Alhambra High School Key Club, Republic Services, and every resident who participated.

When our Community Partner, Friends of Alhambra Creek, asked if we could help with a new Martinez Mural, we said yes! On January 27th, MRC was among the organizers, artists, donors and elected officials recognized at the dedication of the Alhambra Way Mural -- now the largest mural in the city. The colorful mural, designed by lead painter, Tim Hon, highlights a few of the native plants and animals in our area. You can find the link to a 360-degree virtual tour on our Facebook page.