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Thanks for your participation in the Global Exchange Reality Tour. This stop covered the Pat Robertson owned
refinery in Santa Fe Springs, CA. Our organization CBE, Communities for a Better Environment, has been working profoundly to have this refinery have the strictest environmental review. Currently, the city has approved the project with little review without taking the community into account. The issue of environmental racism is raised because the area of the refinery is people of color with a senior home, elementary school and hospital within a 3-4 block radius. If you need any more info feel free to contact CBE at 323.826.9771. In struggle and solidarity.

Federal Court Injunction Stops Operation and Construction at Televangelist Pat Robertson's Oil Refinery; Federal Judge Rescinds Permits and Stops Operations until CBE Clean Air Act Lawsuit Ends


(Los Angeles) A Federal Court injunction took effect today, halting all construction and operations at the Cenco Refinery in Santa Fe Springs, which is controlled by televangelist Pat Robertson's Charitable Trust. The injunction took effect with the posting of a $25,000 bond by environmental group Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) of Huntington Park. The injunction also requires the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to rescind permits for the refinery.
CBE filed its federal Clean Air Act lawsuit against Cenco and the SCAQMD after the televangelist attempted to start up a long-mothballed oil refinery in southeastern Los Angeles. When it last operated in 1995 under the name, Powerine, the refinery was the 12th largest pollution source in the Air Basin. The lawsuit alleges that Cenco and the SCAQMD violated the Federal Clean Air Act in not requiring state-of-the-art pollution controls and other environmental review, called New Source Review (NSR), prior to issuing permits for the refinery.
"This is a major victory for clean air and for environmental justice," said CBE Attorney Scott Kuhn. "Before Pat Robertson re-starts this refinery he should comply with federal law by installing state-of-the-art pollution controls and conducting a public alternatives study to reduce potential risks," added Kuhn.
Located within a few blocks of the refinery is an elementary school, a residential neighborhood, a senior citizen housing facility, and a state hospital. The community closest to the refinery is nearly 70% Latino and predominantly low-income. CBE has been working with the local community for over two years. Over 500 community members have written letters expressing concern about the refinery opening. "The community will continue to fight against this refinery until it complies with all laws," said CBE Organizer Jesus Torres. "Starting up this refinery without compliance with federal law in a Latino community, near schools and residents is yet another example of the environmental racism that exists in Los Angeles and this country. Such a refinery would never be tolerated in Beverly Hills or Brentwood," added Torres.
The case has national implications because the Bush administration has ordered EPA to conduct a review of its NSR program. The Bush Administration has undertaken a review of the NSR program and industry groups have been pushing to revamp NSR to make it easier to build and expand refineries and power plants without using modern pollution controls.
Just weeks ago, the Court held that CBE could personally sue Pat Robertson for his control of the refinery through his trust. Robertson has spent $75 million on his bid to restart the refinery and the company claims it is losing $800,000 every month the refinery does not operate. The injunction is the latest in a serious of setbacks for Robertson whose company is also being sued by California's Attorney General and its former construction contractor and former attorneys for not paying its bills.