Environment
Contra Costa Health, in collaboration with the Community Warning System, has updated its text notification system for hazardous materials alerts. This system now allows residents to sign up for text messages for Level 1, 2 and 3 events at industrial facilities regulated by the county, including the four oil refineries. That means residents receiving alerts will even be notified of refinery flares. Previously, residents were only receiving text messages about Level 2 and 3 events — the kinds of incidents…
“The Stakes” is a UC Berkeley Journalism project on executive orders affecting Californians and their communities. Sometime since Friday, when Contra Costa County officials last checked on an anticipated grant for North Richmond, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suspended the promised $19 million, marking the second time the grant has been put on hold since President Donald Trump tried to freeze federal grants in January. The suspension throws into question several community development projects to improve the environment, health and…
“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…
On a cool and moonlit autumn night, Aman Daro stepped carefully along a muddy bank of the San Francisco Bay. He was wearing to protect himself from the knee-deep mud. He knelt next to a man-made oyster reef and turned on his headlamp. After using a brush to scrub away mud and seaweed, he traced his finger along the structure, counting the number of oysters attached to the reef. The night sounded with the soft crash of the waves, the…
The Christmas tree takes center stage for holiday gatherings, but after the new year arrives and Three Kings Day has come and gone, that evergreen in the living room presents a chore. When should you take it down and what should you do with it? Traditionally, the 12th day of Christmas, which is Three Kings Day or the feast of the Epiphany, marks the official end of the holiday season on Jan. 6. Live Christmas trees that were erected after…
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…
The dedicated bike lane on the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge has been a bone of contention between cyclists and motorists since it opened as a four-year pilot project in 2019. While its life has been extended to a fifth year, its days may be numbered. Next month, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission may reduce the bike lane to a weekends-only feature, a move the cycling community opposes. Since it opened, the bike lane has remained accessible to…
Early next year, Richmond will begin developing its Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Resiliency Plan to address the risks of rising sea levels. It will involve city officials, environmental scientists, engineers, and community members implementing strategies to protect and restore the Richmond shoreline after decades of heavy industrial activity. This initiative gives the city a head start on the planning process mandated by California’s new sea level rise legislation, which requires local governments to have a plan in place by…
Richmond aims to become the first Bay Area city to advance a neighborhood green energy initiative, with plans to convert homes in a pilot neighborhood from gas to electric energy. The Richmond Clean Energy and Healthy Homes Project calls for replacing gas appliances with high-efficiency electric ones in a low-income neighborhood that PG&E would help the city identify. Upgrades will include heat pumps, electric panel enhancements, onsite solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, and battery storage. The pilot would include…