Environment
U.S. Chemical Safety Board representatives and investigators on Monday recommended sweeping changes to the California petroleum industry following the August 2012 fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond.
Richmond isn’t the only town in the Bay Area that’s in the midst of approving a major oil project. Other nearby refineries are also upgrading. And surrounding communities are looking to Richmond for lessons on how to insure that environmental standards are met.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District—often referred to as the Air District—passed a resolution last week to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To meet the goal, Chevron’s century old refinery in Richmond would need to drastically cut the amount of greenhouse gasses it releases.
The Richmond Southeast Shoreline Community Advisory Group alleges radioactive material found by state officials on Richmond’s shoreline was illegally dumped by a chemical company in the sixties.
A metal plating company in Richmond said they have begun removing large quantities of hazardous wastes at its facility after the Contra Costa County Superior Court issued a restraining order.
At Making Waves Academy, a middle school in Richmond, students can take long-time educator Aaron Reaven’s popular class, “Healthy person, healthy planet.” The class focuses on nutrition, cooking, and environmental issues that relate to the food supply.
About 80 volunteers got their hands dirty Saturday morning digging holes to plant 35 trees at Richmond’s Lucas Park during an Arbor Day celebration.
Mayor Gayle McLaughlin and many local activists rallied in Civic Center Plaza Tuesday to protest the opening of Chevron’s civil trial against dozens of Ecuadorians.
The project will primarily upgrade aging equipment at the 100-year old refinery. But environmentalists are wary, and they promise that every detail of the plan will be scrutinized in great detail.