Refinery regulations stiffen

Bay area drivers already pay among the highest gas prices in the nation, and due to a recent move by the EPA, they will be guaranteed to be paying more:

In a rare move, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered regional air regulators to amend pollution permits issued to four local refineries, saying changes are necessary for "better protection of public health and the environment."

The decision, announced Thursday, partially addresses concerns by two environmental groups and several labor unions that the air permits issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management Board did not aggressively control or monitor the refineries' emissions.

"As far as the EPA went, it's good. But they should have gone farther," said Will Rostov, staff attorney for Communities for a Better Environment, one of the groups filing a petition.

At issue are so-called Title V permits addressing nearly 65,000 conditions governing every facet of operation at four Bay Area refineries: Chevron in Richmond, Conoco Phillips in Rodeo, Tesoro in Martinez and Valero in Benicia.

While we're all for environmental protection, the timing couldn't be worse. With one gas station in California already surpassing the $3/gallon mark, further regulation and potential retrofitting of refineries will only add to consumers; costs.

Likewise, expect Southern Californians to see similar effects from the BP settlement with the AQMD over its Carson refinery.