Contra Costa Health says PBF's Martinez refinery incidents 'unacceptable"

California's Contra Costa County (CCH) health officials delivered a letter to PBF Energy’s Martinez refining company on Thursday saying the number of incidents at the refinery in the past year was unacceptable and points to a lack of investment.

CCH health officials made a surprise inspection visit of the refinery earlier this week.

"CCH has documented 46 flaring incidents since November 2022 and 21 releases or spills of hazardous materials in the last year," said the letter published on the CCH website. It said PBF also reported flaring at a rate of nearly once per week.

"The number of incidents at the refinery over the past year is unacceptable for a facility operating in Contra Costa County and points to an apparent fundamental lack of investment on the part of PBF in ensuring the reliability of its systems and maintaining a facility that is safe for its workers and the neighboring community."

PBF officials were not immediately available for comment.

CCH said PBF had to provide its regulators full access to the facility, documentation relating to deferred maintenance of equipment, access to employees and data relating to maintenance and safety practices.

CCH said that in the case of an incident all costs associated with incident response will be borne by PBF.

Additionally, due to the facility's history of spills and other mishaps, PBF is required to allow observers from CCH onsite at all times to provide them with access to any part of the facility upon request.

CCH on Tuesday had launched an unannounced inspection at PBF Energy's (PBF.N) 156,400 barrel per day refinery aimed at requesting records and observing its operation with a focus on safety programs, reliability of equipment, and to follow up regarding several recent accidents.

The facility released petroleum coke dust in October, following a similar incident in July. The Department of Justice is also investigating the refinery over a November 2022 release of a powdery substance later determined to be spent catalysts.