Environment

Richmond’s unhoused are uniting to fight illegal dumping

Richmond is notorious for illegal dumping and litter, a decades-long problem driven by private and commercial interests looking for places to offload their trash for free. A group of unhoused people are working to tackle the problem while creating better living spaces at local encampments.

California backs Council, developer preference for Zeneca cleanup plan

California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) on Friday announced its selection of a cleanup plan for one of Richmond’s most notorious brownfields: an industrial site located on the city’s south shoreline, once occupied by a succession of corporate tenants including Stauffer Chemical Co. and pharmaceutical company Zeneca Inc. The plan will excavate contaminated soil and install barriers in areas where tainted soil will be left in place. It would take about eight fewer years to implement and involve tens…

Richmonders will get rebates for backup power during shutoffs

Richmond residents who lost power during the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) to prevent wildfires earlier this fall may soon be eligible for rebates for backup power equipment they buy to keep the lights on in future shutoffs. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a $100 million budget last month for a program to help keep electricity flowing during power shutoffs like the one that darkened neighborhoods across the Bay Area earlier this month. The program will provide rebates…