On a pot-holed street at the edge of San Francisco's southeastern shoreline, the scent of progress wafts through the air — and it reeks. Some have described the odors as"gut-pinching." Others, nauseating. Many more say it's downright disgusting.
Biofuels and"green diesel" rendered from used cooking oils, plants and animals are viewed as a key way to transition the energy industry away from fossil fuels. It's a growing sector that appeals to hard-to-decarbonize industries like aviation and shipping. Because of this, biofuels have also enjoyed an infusion of state and federal investments, including from the landmark Inflation Reduction Act.
We"have to pass Darling every day," Ealom said."You start smelling it at Hudson . Then it starts getting more concentrated and deeper, and when you cross that bridge at Amador — it's just over for you. You just know you need to hold your breath." "On really nice days, when everybody wants to go out and play with their dog or their kids and hang out at the waterfront and count the raptors at Heron's Head — you can't do that because you are bombarded by this horrific smell," said J. Michelle Pierce, of the Bayview Community Advocates."Because it is literally nauseating, it is an environmental injustice."
Between 2002 and 2021, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District also received dozens of odor complaints and ultimately issued three permit violations to Darling for emitting noxious odors and failing to adequately maintain equipment, the report and records obtained by The Examiner found. In one case, Darling paid an $11,000 fine for failing to maintain an air oxidizer at a required temperature.
The Planning Department ultimately concluded that the project would not cause new significant environmental effects, the Santa Clara report found. On average, Bayview residents can expect to live 14 years less than their counterparts in Russian Hill, according to The City's health department, and residents suffer from chronic diseases, including diabetes, asthma and heart failure, at much higher rates than the rest of San Francisco.