May 2021
Biofuelwatch for KMUD Produces Radio Series About Proposed Conversion of Bay Area Refineries to Biofuels
An independently produced radio series on liquid fuels and the proposed conversion of two San Francisco Bay Area refineries to biofuels, largely soy-based diesel and jet fuel, came to a conclusion last week with the broadcast on KMUD – Redwood Community Radio of an interview with neighbors of the massive Phillips 66 facility in Rodeo, California, in the North SF Bay Area. Phillips 66 publicly aspires to establish the largest hydrotreated vegetable oil biofuel refinery in the world at their Rodeo facility.
This series in its totality presents important information and insights on the California liquid fuels energy system broadly and the refinery conversion to biofuels issue specifically.
The proposal to repurpose the Marathon Martinez and Phillips 66 Rodeo refineries to process largely soy-based ‘drop-in’ diesel and aviation biofuel is a matter of global importance. Evidence shows that this massive pivot to biofuels as a supposed climate solution represents a threat to natural ecosystems and human communities, around the world and at home in California.
Down below you can find a complete roster of the six episode series, as well as the introductory public affairs shows produced with Biofuelwatch for KMUD. Also included is a ‘bonus track’ of the early May guest appearance of Biofuelwatch on the Institute for Sustainable Forestry journalism program to discuss The Fantasy of Net Zero Emissions.
Listen to and share these independently produced podcast/radio archives by following the links below.
Mike Coody, Janet Pygeorge and Janet Callaghan of Rodeo Citizens Association participated in the final Episode #6.
EPISODE 6: California Refinery Conversion to Biofuels Keeps Rodeo Community in the Pollution Hot Seat — As the dramatic California refinery pivot to biofuels gains political momentum, members of the community based Rodeo Citizens Association join KMUD and Biofuelwatch to describe how ordinary people can do extraordinary things to hold a big polluter accountable.
EPISODE 5: Soy-Based Diesel Threatens Paraguay — In this Public Affairs collaboration between Biofuelwatch and KMUD, host Gary Hughes examines California’s refinery pivot to Soy-based Diesel and how this threatens forests and communities in Paraguay. Dr. Miguel Lovera is the featured guest.
https://soundcloud.com/kmudpublicaffairs/from-beyond-the-redwood-curtain-episode-5-soy-based-diesel-threatens-paraguay
EPISODE 3: Bay Protectors Skeptical About Biofuel Refinery Ploy — San Francisco Baykeeper staff attorney Ben Eichenberg joins KMUD to speak with host Gary Hughes of Biofuelwatch about the threats to California marine environments from the oil industry and the risks of the proposed conversions of refineries to biofuels.
https://soundcloud.com/kmudnews/public-affairs-special-bay-protectors-skeptical-about-biofuel-refinery-ploy
EPISODE 2: Have You Ever Been In A Toxic Relationship? Richmond Goes Beyond Chevron — In the second episode of this KMUD Public Affairs Series, From Beyond the Redwood Curtain, host Gary Hughes of Biofuelwatch interviews Guest Andrés Soto, from Communities for a Better Environment (CBE). Soto shares a spell binding account of environmental justice organizing in the San Francisco Bay Area refinery corridor, the industrial center for processing the liquid fuels that the North Coast has come to take for granted.
https://soundcloud.com/kmudnews/have-you-ever-been-in-a-toxic-relationship-richmond-goes-beyond-chevron
EPISODE 1: Decommissioning Refineries or a Diesel Dead End? — In this first episode of KMUD Public Affairs new series, “From Beyond the Redwood Curtain,” host Gary Hughes of Biofuelwatch interviews Greg Karras, an Energy Systems Scientist, about decommissioning refineries or reaching a diesel dead end. Gary and Greg discuss how the pivot to soy-based liquid fuels could create a long term lock-in of a destructive energy system.
https://soundcloud.com/kmudnews/decommisioncarefineries_episode1_fbtrc_gkarras_jan2021
EPISODE ZERO: Refinery Conversion to Biofuels Is A Climate Dead End – Biofuelwatch on KMUD Public Affairs Dec 2020 — Gary Hughes from Biofuelwatch joins KMUD Public Affairs to announce an upcoming special series of radio shows exploring the proposed conversion of refineries in the SF Bay Area to soy-based liquid fuels and related human rights, climate justice and forest protection issues.
Rodeo Citizens Association 