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Valero Refining Company has agreed to pay an additional $3,250,000 penalty for air quality violations related to its now-idled Benicia refinery in a new settlement with the Bay Area Air District announced Tuesday.  

The settlement resolves 118 notices issued by the air pollution regulator for violations that occurred between 2019 and 2023, according to Kristine Roselius, a spokesperson for the Air District. In addition to the penalty, Valero will be required to expand its fenceline air quality monitoring program, and provide public access to and reporting of the monitoring data. 

After about five years without swings, a new donated set is expected to be installed at Benicia’s City Park soon. The equipment’s actually been sitting at the Corp Yard for a couple months — the delay comes down to state rules requiring a certified installer.

Bigger picture: the Playground of Dreams needs major restoration, but that likely won’t start until around 2030. Funding will come from the new fees approved in 2025, though that money won’t really start flowing until 2027. 

As part of these annual fees, Benicians will pay between about $42 to $208 a year to help maintain infrastructure such as city parks, trails and street lights. 

The City says it wants to preserve the original look and feel as much as possible, but modern safety codes will likely mean some changes.