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The Bay

For 15 Years, Valero’s Benicia Refinery Released Toxic Chemicals — And No One Knew

Ericka Cruz GuevarraTed GoldbergMaria EsquincaAlan Montecillo
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Dozens of tall smokestacks beside a parking lot.
Valero's oil refinery in the Solano County city of Benicia. (Craig Miller/KQED)

Valero’s Benicia oil refinery is one of the largest refineries in the state. And from 2003 to 2018,  it secretly released excessive amounts of hazardous chemicals into the air before Bay Area regulators found out and investigated. Meanwhile, local officials and the broader community were only informed this year. 

Guest: Ted Goldberg, KQED supervising senior editor for news

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