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SLO County Supervisors pause appeal on Santa Maria refinery demolition

The Santa Maria Refinery, owned by Phillips 66, ceased operations in January 2023.
San Luis Obispo County
The Santa Maria Refinery, owned by Phillips 66, ceased operations in January 2023.

San Luis Obispo County Supervisors have temporarily paused an appeal over the demolition of the shuttered Santa Maria oil refinery in Arroyo Grande.

The oil company Phillips 66 plans to tear down portions of the facility and clean up about 200 acres of contaminated soil and groundwater, according to county documents. The work could take up to three years, with groundwater treatment expected to continue for more than a decade.

The Sierra Club filed the appeal, arguing the company should also permanently protect more than 600 acres of nearby sensitive habitat. Environmental advocates warned that without habitat protections, the land could be opened to additional development or off-road vehicle use.

During public comment, resident Jeff Edwards urged the board to deny the appeal.

“If it goes beyond here, say to the Coastal Commission, so be it. You've done your job,” Edwards said.

The board decided to move the matter off the calendar, effectively cancelling the hearing for now. No new date has been set unless the issue is formally rescheduled by either party.

The planning Commission has approved the demolition and environmental review of the Santa Maria Refinery on Oct. 24, 2024.

The Santa Maria Refinery ceased operations in January 2023 after nearly 70 years. Phillips 66 says it intends to remediate the 1,780-acre property, of which 11% housed refining operations, while the remainder is open space, grazing land, or wildlife preservation areas within the Nipomo Dunes.

Gabriela Fernandez came to KCBX in May of 2022 as a general assignment reporter, and became news director in December of 2023. In September of 2024 she returned to reporting full time.
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