"For more than a century, the sprawling Phillips 66 oil refinery complex has dominated a vast tract of southern Los Angeles County.

Its massive fuel storage tanks, distillation towers and sprawling pipeline network loom over Carson and Wilmington and are a long-standing source of community concern.

But in recent years, complaints of acrid odors, fiery accidents, soot and harmful emissions have gained new resonance as officials become more sensitive to accusations of environmental injustice.

So when Phillips 66 announced recently that it would shutter the complex late next year, it came as a welcome surprise to many, according to Julia May, senior scientist for Communities for a Better Environment."

Tony Briscoe reports for the Los Angeles Times October 17, 2024. [2]