SAN FRANCISCO (July 11, 2013) – Today, the California Governor’s Interagency Taskforce on Refinery Safety release of comprehensive report laying the groundwork for reforming hazardous and polluting conditions in the oil refining sector. The following is a statement from BlueGreen Alliance and other labor, environmental, and social justice organizations.

“Following the serious fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond last summer, the Refinery Action Network — a coalition of health, labor and environmental organizations and academia — began working with the Governor’s Interagency Taskforce on Refinery Safety to evaluate feasible solutions to prevent similar dangerous incidents from recurring in California refineries, and to improve the health and safety of refinery workers and the surrounding communities.

“The coalition is ready to see Governor Brown and his administration mandate health, safety and environmental standards as a condition of operation, ensure transparency and accountability by making the progress on meeting those standards accessible to the public, and provide enough funding and oversight power to make sure that the first two reforms are being fully implemented.”