Climate
Richmond City Council has awarded a contract of up to $250,000 to a British consulting firm to help the city make its vehicle fleet emission-free. The contract, passed unanimously on Oct. 22, entrusts Arup US Inc. with formulating a “Zero Emission Vehicle Fleet and Infrastructure Transition Plan” to replace approximately 400 city vehicles with vehicles that do not burn fossil fuel. To support a clean energy fleet, the plan also will include estimates on installing infrastructure such as charging stations…
“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: Are you prepared for fire season? Lucas Hernandez “I think so. I do have a go bag. I had bottles of water next to the go bag in a case, but I drank them. My spare car keys are in there, and I think I have rope. I packed it a long…
Transit agencies in the East Bay are promoting California Clean Air Day on Wednesday, with several providing free fares to encourage riders to use public transit. The goal of Clean Air Day is to encourage residents to participate in more sustainable activities to minimize air pollution. The agencies offering free rides include the San Francisco Bay Ferry, WestCAT, Wheels and County Connections. But the largest transit agencies in the Bay Area — AC Transit, BART, and MUNI — will not…
White Pony Express was trying to develop an app that would make it easier for grocery stores, restaurants and other small businesses to alert volunteer food runners when they had excess food that could be redistributed. So the nonprofit, which is based in Concord, applied for and received $100,000 from the Contra Costa County Innovation Fund grant. “It made a lot of things possible because we were a little bit stuck, where we had the technology, but the technology needed…
Despite setbacks caused by COVID-19, AC Transit expects to meet its 2023 goals to convert 10% of its bus fleet to zero emission vehicles. The California Air Resources Board enacted a regulation in 2018 that requires all public transit agencies to transition from diesel fuel to 100% zero‑emission bus fleets by the end of 2040. AC Transit set an internal goal of converting 10% of its 630 buses to zero emission technology by the end of this year, said spokesperson…
On a bright October morning in Lucas Park, dozens of community members — some with silver hair and some younger — move around in dirt, sweat and chatter. Loosely divided into small groups, the volunteers hold onto pots and branches to lift up small trees — each around 8 feet tall — and carry them to designated locations. And then they circle around with shovels, and dig. This was an Arbor Day activity for Groundwork Richmond, an environmental and youth…
Looking inward from the tip of Point Pinole, it is hard to imagine that much of the gradually sloping expanse that is Richmond’s 32-mile shoreline could someday be transformed into a bulwark against global sea level rise. In September, the city issued a request for proposals from contractors to author a strategic document that could guide Richmond’s response to the foot or so of ocean water expected to inundate coastal cities the world over. In addition to requiring a detailed…
City shares millions in climate grant money with local nonprofits, including one marked ‘delinquent’
Richmond has received a $35 million state grant for climate-related projects that will be put to use by the city and local organizations, including one whose nonprofit status is in jeopardy. This month, the City Council unanimously approved contracts with the five groups that will share the Transformative Climate Communities grant. Councilmember Doria Robinson was absent for the vote. She is executive director of Urban Tilth, which will control 30% of the grant money and, as of Monday, was listed…
Dozens of people interested in learning more about electric vehicles, ride share programs, and other ways to reduce their carbon footprints gathered at Richmond Civic Center Plaza Thursday for the ninth “Drive Electric” event. Part of National Drive Electric Week, the event raises awareness about electric vehicles as an option. Volunteers set up booths to interact with passersby during lunch time. Some learned about electric car and bike rebate programs from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and Metropolitan…