EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso leaders will have a chance to review Marathon’s emissions as Texas environmental regulators voted to hold a hearing ahead of the renewal of the refinery’s air permit.
On Wednesday, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) voted 3-0 to grant a contested case hearing on the air permit for the Marathon refinery in Central/South Central El Paso, instead of it being renewed routinely.
This comes after El Paso County and Texas State Rep. Vince Perez, who represents House District 77, urged TCEQ for the hearing, noting that emissions have been increasing, yet the refinery has been characterizing these emissions as “no increase.”
El Paso State Rep Vince Perez. June 3, 2026. Credit: KFOX14/CBS4
Perez explained in a letter he wrote to TCEQ,
By the Executive Director’s own account, the application’s Plain Language Summary reflects volatile organic compound emissions rising from 570.95 to 587.13 tons per year — what the Executive Director describes as ‘an apparent increase of 16.18 tpy.’
Perez adding,
The community is being asked to absorb additional emissions that never received independent public scrutiny, now presented as routine.What does this all mean?
This means that for the first time since 1928, Perez explained, Marathon will have to produce documents providing more information about its emissions, including numbers and the way these numbers are calculated.
Speaking with KFOX14/CBS4, Perez clarified that the intention of this hearing is not to shut down the refinery, as it employs hundreds of El Pasoans, but rather to review emission numbers as the refinery has maintained there hasn’t been any increase that could trigger additional regulation, which Perez noted might be true, but again, the point Perez made is that a hearing will allow the public to see this data.
Destiny Venecia reports on the contested hearing set for the El Paso Marathon refinery
Perez called the hearing a “unique opportunity” for the surrounding community to be involved.
Part of those involved in the hearing will be representatives from El Paso County, as it owns Ascarate Park, which is close to the refinery.
David Stout (Credit: KFOX14/CBS4)
“I am deeply grateful to the El Paso County Commissioners Court for voting unanimously to move forward with this request, and to the TCEQ for its vote today,” said El Paso County Commissioner David Stout, who led the effort on the Commissioners Court to request the Contested Case Hearing. “El Paso County has long held a responsibility to protect public health, and with these actions we are doing just that. We want to ensure that Marathon is doing everything it can to operate at the highest level possible, and this process is what affords us that opportunity.”
Stout added that for years, El Pasoans who live in the area have raised their voice regarding the effects the refinery’s emissions have had on their health, adding that in 2011, the refinery even agreed to pay a penalty of $1.5 million and make $60 million in improvements after an Environmental Protection Agency investigation.
What’s next?
Perez said the hearing is likely to happen in the next six months, mentioning that there will be a 30-day period for people in the affected area to take steps to participate in the hearing.
Perez said residents with questions can contact his office at 512-463-0638 or 915-440-4377.
At the end of the day, Perez hopes the hearing produces “more information, more clarity, more transparency and more accountability” regarding the refinery and its emissions, adding that “the public deserves to know a lot of these critical questions.”
KFOX14/CBS4 reached out to Marathon for comment but did not get any in time for this report.
Below is Perez’s letter to the TCEQ requesting the hearing:Below is El Paso County’s letter requesting the hearing:Below is Stout’s press release announcing the approval of the hearing:Below is the TCEQ meeting where the hearing was approved:
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