Merton Council will spend 220,000 to launch the event, but estimates it will generate 600,000 profit, rising to 1.4m by the third year and will support up to 49 local jobs, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Leader of Merton Council Ross Garrod hopes the race will become "south London's biggest running event" and attract runners from across London, Surrey and beyond.
The closure could cut hundreds of jobs and is expected to bruise the tax base of Benicia, a community anchored by the refinery that has also endured toxic pollution. But the company may replace its gas output with imports by ship, buffering California's fuel supply from potential shortages and price hikes, according to Newsom's office. It's unclear how much gasoline Valero plans to import, and the company has so far offered few answers.