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Environment 

Valero makes significant investments in environmental initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to a cleaner environment.
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Refining Unit Environmental Stewardship: A Core Value
Valero has achieved significant emission reductions and invested in producing cleaner-burning gasoline, diesel and ethanol-blended fuels. For example:
  • Valero has invested more than $1 billion at refineries in environmental updgrades such as new-generation flue-gas scrubbers, including the world's largest such facility at its Benicia Refinery, and flare-gas recovery systems that dramatically reduce emissions.
  • Valero’s low-sulfur gasoline and diesel program not only reduces sulfur emissions from cars but allows new automobile technology to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons.
Focused on Alternative Energy, Technology

Valero understands the importance of investing in alternative-energy opportunities and latest technologies to protect the environment.

  • Valero has acquired 10 world-scale ethanol plants, making it the first traditional refiner to enter large-scale production of ethanol. Click here to learn more about Valero's ethanol plants.
  • The company built a wind farm outside its McKee Refinery in the Texas Panhandle, with 33 turbines generating 50 megawatts of electricity.
  • Valero has investments in several bio-fuels companies workng to commercialize emerging alternative fuels from algae, cellulosic materials, municipal-landfill solid waste, energy crops, animal-fat grease and used cooking oil.
  • New infrared technology allows Valero to quickly find and repair leaks of gaseous hydrocarbons, thereby reducing emissions into the environment.
  • Valero is investing in new flare-gas recovery systems, an emission-reducing technology.
  • Valero is meeting the important challenge of  greenhouse-gas reduction through careful scientific, economic and technical analysis, and adoption of new technologies. View the company’s greenhouse-gas policy statement.
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Benicia refinery Recognized for Environmental Efforts
Valero values recognition for its environmental stewardship, including:
  • A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency award recognizing the Valero Port Arthur (Texas) Refinery for its wastewater-sludge recycling success as a participant in the agency’s National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) program
  • The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry Award for Outstanding Environmental Accomplishments to the Valero Memphis Refinery for three consecutive years – including recognition for hazardous-waste and air-quality management
  • Valero Chairman's Environmental Award for 2009 to the Valero Houston Refinery for reducing environmental incidents by 73 percent from 2008, reducing emissions 85 percent since 2003 and avoiding flaring incidents for more than two years
  • Valero Chairman's Retail Environmental Award to Colorado Zone 357 for scoring highest in compliance audits and fuel-control training and data quality
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In Port Arthur, Texas, Valero is assisting the Community In-Power and Development Association Inc. (CIDA), a community development organization that has expanded its efforts to issues of environmental justice, improving neighborhoods located near refineries. Ensuring the health and safety of neighbors, employees, customers and the environment is an important part of Valero’s environmental justice mission.
Valero Environmental Awards & Honors