Chevron
“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: Do you think it would be good for Richmond if Chevron closed the refinery? Rob LeBeau “With a refinery closing down, we would have to clean up that land. You thought Superfund sites existed now? You have no idea what kind of mess exists there. We’re talking about big changes, but it’s…
What might drive a person to act on air pollution? Dr. Niyi Omotoso, an Oakland pediatrician has asked himself that question. One answer, he believes, is asthma. Omotoso has treated many children with asthma, especially when he practiced in Richmond and San Pablo for 12 years. He saw how the disease disrupted the lives of the children and their families. A concerning UC San Francisco report confirms his experience: Around 25% of Richmond’s population suffers from asthma, almost double the…
Chevron says it has contained an oil spill that contaminated the San Francisco Bay at the Richmond Wharf on Thursday, and is working to clean it up. A Chevron employee reported the spill to state authorities at 5:14 a.m. The company said less than three barrels of a diesel-based liquid leaked into the bay because of a pump failure at the Richmond Long Wharf. Caitlin Powell, a Chevron spokesperson, said the company is still trying to determine the exact time…
“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: What should Richmond do with the $550 million Chevron has agreed to pay over the next decade? Ricardo Sanchez “They could be major funders for the school district because schools are generally understaffed all the time. And there’s also not enough funds for kids to have their supplies. Sometimes they don’t have…
Rafael Castro-Chavez was 13 years old when he heard a loud explosion in August 2012. He darted outside his North Richmond apartment and noticed his neighbors pointing toward the Chevron refinery, saying, “Hay un incendio!” As he turned to look, flames rose from the facility, and a large plume of black smoke advanced over his street. “They were telling us in the news that there is a lockdown and that it is not recommended for the community to go out,”…
At Chevron’s first town hall meeting with residents, community members had an opportunity to address their concerns about flaring and pollution directly to company representatives. The session Wednesday at Richmond CoBiz came out of Chevron’s $20 million settlement with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in February, which called for the company to host two-hour meetings twice a year with residents about flaring events. “We are really trying to come at this with a learning intent and growth mindset…
As the sun dips below the horizon in Richmond, the Chevron refinery’s tall columns cast long shadows against the dusky sky. At a Chevron station on West Cutting Boulevard, David Stanford mutters as he fills his tank. “It makes zero sense. We are half a mile from the refinery, and gas prices are still $5 a gallon,” he said. “It’s not sustainable for normal people. Hard working people cannot afford the gas right now. It’s ridiculous.” It’s a thought echoed…
District 1 City Council candidates fielded questions Wednesday night on quality-of-life issues ranging from public safety and clean streets to economic development and how to spend the $550 million windfall the city is set to receive from Chevron. About 50 people attended the candidates’ night at CoBiz Richmond, hosted by the media outlets Richmond Confidential, Richmondside, The Contra Costa Pulse and El Tímpano. Journalists and residents asked Jamelia Brown, Mark Wassberg and incumbent Melvin Willis how they would promote business…
Chevron Corp. has agreed to pay Richmond $550 million over the next decade in exchange for the city dropping a proposed refinery tax from the November ballot. The mayor’s office announced the deal in an Aug. 8 news release, saying the agreement enables the city to avoid being sued by Chevron, while achieving the same goal as the measure. Under the agreement, Chevron will pay Richmond $50 million annually in the first five years and $60 million annually in the…