Environmental Rules Eased for Bakersfield Refinery

Those who say that there are no ties between the environmental contraints to operating a refinery and the cost of gasoline should think twice after hearing the latest about the Shell Refinery in Bakersfield:

Shell said it would keep the Bakersfield facility open through the end of this year. And it pledged to continue operations in Bakersfield for an additional three months — through March 31 — if it won a waiver of certain emissions limits contained in a 2001 consent agreement between the oil company, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department.

On Monday, Shell said it got the necessary dispensation on nitrogen oxide emissions.

The accord with the federal officials, which must be approved by a federal judge in Texas, would ease layoff worries for many of the 250 employees at the relatively small refinery, which produces 2% of California's gasoline supply and 6% of its diesel. It also would keep alive the possibility that a buyer could step in to save the facility and stop car-dependent California from losing badly needed fuel-production capacity.

This is why I find it ironic when the same U.S. Senators who lament the closing of the refineries are the same ones pushing such harsh regulations.