SB 1259: Refineries: decommissioning and remediation: cost estimates.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law establishes the State Water Resources Control Board in the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the California regional water quality control boards which prescribe waste discharge requirements in accordance with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.

Existing law, the Petroleum Industry Information Reporting Act of 1980, requires refiners, as defined, to report monthly to the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission), for each of their refineries, specified information, and requires that any confidential information pertinent to the responsibilities of the Energy Commission, as provided, which is obtained by another state agency be available to the Energy Commission and be treated in a confidential manner.

This bill would require, no later than December 31, 2028, every refiner, as defined for purposes of the bill, to submit to CalEPA a retirement plan setting forth information concerning decommissioning and site remediation for every refinery it owns, operates, or controls, as provided. The bill would require the CalEPA, no later than 6 months following the submission of the retirement plan, to review the retirement plan for completeness and reasonableness and to make a determination as to whether the retirement plan complies with the requirements imposed by the bill. The bill would require CalEPA, if it determines that the retirement plan complies with the bill’s requirements, to make the retirement plan available on CalEPA’s internet website for public comments for not less than 45 days. The bill would authorize CalEPA to require further revisions to the retirement plan after the public comment period, as provided, before it is deemed final. The bill would require CalEPA, after CalEPA has determined that no further revisions are necessary, to promptly post the final retirement plan on its internet website.

This bill would require a refiner who, on or after January 1, 2026, gives notice of intent to permanently shut down, shut down to reconfigure, or sell a refinery in a transaction that may result in a refinery shutting down or reconfiguring, as provided, to submit either the required retirement plan, or, if a final retirement plan has been released, an update of the retirement plan within a specified timeframe, as provided. The bill would require, on or before December 31, 2027, CalEPA to publicly provide an overview of the methods, costs, and timelines associated with soil and groundwater remediation that have been employed at refineries that have undergone decommissioning and remediation and to update the overview, as provided.

This bill would make information filed pursuant to the above-described provisions confidential information, as provided.

The bill would require a refiner to file the final retirement plan concurrently with the Energy Commission and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The bill would authorize CalEPA, the Energy Commission, and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to share the information with the Legislature, any governmental agency, or a local government, including an air pollution control district or an air quality management district, only if the Legislature, the governmental agency, or the local government that receives the information agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the information. The bill would further require any information that is, or may be, accessible by the public, as provided, by CalEPA, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, a certified unified program agency, or a local government, to be made publicly available even if that information is also contained in the retirement plan.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 5

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 30, 2026Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Garcia.
2. August 21, 2026Ordered to third reading.
3. August 21, 2026Read third time and amended.
4. August 21, 2026Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended. (Ayes 55. Noes 17. Page 6296.)
5. August 17, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
6. August 13, 2026From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 9. Noes 4.) (August 13).
7. August 13, 2026Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
8. August 13, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
9. August 5, 2026August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
10. July 2, 2026Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
11. July 2, 2026From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 4.) (July 1).
12. June 24, 2026June 24 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.