Is anyone paying attention here?!
Chevron’s Richmond, CA refinery has had two major accidents, sending thousands to local hospitals, in the past five years!
Currently, they are pushing plans through the City of Richmond’s permitting process to repair the crude unit that caused the fire on August 6, 2012, but it doesn’t seem that Chevron has any intention of following a City Council Resolution to use the highest standards and best technology in the repair.
And they’re planning to reopen this unit early next year?!
Turns out, Chevron claims that they are not ‘planning’ to increase production, therefore can forgo requirements to install the newest clean air technologies. But- this poses a serious question. Why wouldn’t a company want to install the best clean air technology? Do they really not care about the health and safety of Richmond residents?
The Mayor of Richmond, Gayle McLaughlin, shares similar concerns over not ‘seeing the best available technology’. She’s continuing to hold Chevron accountable by bringing about a resolution to City Council ensuring transparency from Chevron.
Yet, Chevron continues to spin the story, blaming the community residents for the delay in repairs at the Richmond Refinery. Something many community residents have seen many times before.
Chevron has been polluting the City of Richmond, and surrounding areas, for decades. They’ve shown time and time again that they do not properly maintain their facility and they consistently lie to the residents, City Council and the BAAQMD. For Chevron to defy the Richmond City Council is just Chevron doing business as usual.
Air Hugger 
6 comments
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November 29, 2012 at 2:17 pm
frank m.
What specific regulation are you complaining about that would require Chevron to install best available control technology for a repair? Are they complying with the rules or not?
November 29, 2012 at 2:20 pm
frank m.
Also, what BACT do you think they should install that they dont already have?
November 29, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Global Community Monitor
Hi Frank-
Thanks for keeping up with our blog posts.
It’s not a ‘regulation’ per se, but a resolution adopted by the Richmond City Council on Oct. 2, 2012, to ensure that the Chevron Richmond refinery rebuild the unit using the “highest standards and best technology” (you can follow the link under City Council Resolution for more info).
This comes into play with the type of material used to replace the pipe responsible for causing the fire. According to Chevron, pipe corrosion was to blame for the fire on Aug. 6th. In which case, it seems as if replacing the pipe with a pipe made of less corrosive material would be a higher standard/best technology and ultimately safer option. Yet, Chevron is planning to use the same material as before, which lead to the Aug. 6th fire at the Chevron Richmond refinery – due to a corroded pipe.
So, with regards to your question- are they complying with the rules or not?, technically it is legal for a company to replace damaged equipment with the exact same equipment. However, it is defying a resolution passed by Richmond City Council, as well as the wishes of many Richmond residents, who want the safest materials used in the repair in effort to limit the potential for another fire in the next five years.
November 29, 2012 at 2:30 pm
frank m.
Excuse my earlier first comment. I hadnt read the city’s resolution yet. I guess the problem is that the city wrote the resolution without defining terms. For example, what does best available technology mean? BACT does have a definition and isnt required by air agencies for repairs. So I think the problem lies there. Perhaps the city could clarify that they meant what uou think it should mean?
January 8, 2013 at 12:16 pm
frank m.
Couldn’t find an email address, but, here’s a link to a story I just wrote that might be of interest: http://www.examiner.com/article/chevron-asks-again-for-permission-to-violate-air-regs?cid=db_articles
February 13, 2013 at 12:46 pm
Maximum Fine Allowed by Law…….. But will that protect my children? « Air Hugger
[…] has already had two major fires in the past five years! With the pipes at the Chevron Richmond Refinery acting as a ticking time-bomb, how are residents expected to […]