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Local residents like Marilyn Bard, who lives near the Benicia refinery, have been vigilant about air quality issues, documenting emissions and reporting violations for over 20 years. Such efforts have culminated in a record-breaking $82 million fine for Valero, the largest in the history of the Bay Area Air Quality District. The fines stem from a 2019 inspection revealing unreported emissions from the refinery’s hydrogen system, containing approximately 8,400 tons of pollutants. Management reportedly knew of these issues for over 16 years but failed to report them.