Marathon Petroleum has been recognized for its environmental efforts at the Port of Long Beach, receiving the 2024 Green Flag Award. The award acknowledges the company’s participation in a voluntary vessel speed reduction program that aims to lower smog-forming emissions and diesel particulates by encouraging ships to travel at reduced speeds within 40 nautical miles of the port. According to Marathon Petroleum, this initiative has helped prevent more than 1,000 tons of air pollution each year.
“Earning the Port of Long Beach Green Flag Award year after year is part of our unwavering commitment to the environment and to the communities where we operate,” said Ashlee Gattuso, Commercial Marine Operations Manager at Marathon Petroleum.
In other developments, California Forever has announced plans for Solano Foundry, a proposed 2,100-acre advanced manufacturing park in Solano County. CEO Jan Sramek presented details about the project during the Reindustrialize Summit in Detroit in July 2025. The planned site would cover 40 million square feet and focus on industries such as robotics, advanced transportation, energy, and defense. The project is expected to generate approximately 40,000 jobs and will be located seven miles from a proposed deep-water shipyard. This marks California Forever’s third major concept for its master-planned city vision in southeast Solano County.
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) has opened nominations for its third annual Coolest Thing Made in California contest. The competition highlights products made by state manufacturers—a sector that supports about 1.3 million jobs and contributes $310 billion to California’s GDP. Nominations are open from July 21 through August 29; voting will take place across four rounds throughout September with winners announced on October 22 at an event in Sacramento.
