Benicia Wants to Be a Model for Life After a Refinery. Can It? ^80.9%

KQED - By Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Julie Small, Jessica Kariisa, Alan Montecillo - 5/20/2026, 10:00 AM

Framing Effect 50.7% - Optimism Bias 50.7% - Halo Effect 36%

Valero’s Benicia oil refinery employed hundreds of people and contributed millions in taxes to the local government for decades. Now, with the refinery on its way out, local leaders hope Benicia can be a leading example for how cities transition away from the fossil fuel industry. But with tight city budgets and a global fuel crisis,... more