Attached is a compendium of local media coverage of the hearings last
night on appeals of the Chevron Energy and Hydrogen Renewal Project. The
salient developments are:
·
Just before the meeting, the city manager distributed a proposed
“Community Benefits Agreement” he had just received from Chevron. It
described $61 million that Chevron committed to spend on community
programs and projects over a six-year period with the quid pro quo that
the project is permitted and constructed.
·
I believe about 150 people signed up to speak, about 1/3 Chevron
advocates and 2/3 or more CBE advocates. Fifty or more had left by the
time they were called up until the hearing ended at midnight.
·
Chevron advocates, with the exception of perhaps two, were almost
totally union members who touted the value of jobs and the safety of the
refinery. With perhaps one exception, all Chevron supporters were on
Chevron’s payroll in one way or another.
·
The City’s prime expert, Dr. Sahu, admitted that his refinery experience
was largely working for oil companies.
·
The City’s prime experts on solar energy as a mitigation admitted that
they were not licensed engineers had no experience designing or building
solar energy installations.
The hearing will resume tonight with rebuttals by the appellants,
questions by Council members to staff and appellants, deliberations and
possibly a decision. The late arrival of the Community Benefit Agreement
poses a real problem for an early resolution, which is believed to be
the goal of the Council majority. Ludmyrna Lopez is expecting a baby in
a couple of weeks and plans to take off until after the November
election, and others are concerned that a protracted decision-making
process will become an election issue that could damage the prospects
for re-election of three members of the coalition.
Richmond council to resume Chevron deliberations tonight
By Katherine Tam
West County Times
Article Launched: 07/16/2008 05:18:31 AM PDT
Related Links
Deliberation on Chevron's contentious bid to
upgrade decades-old equipment at its Richmond refinery continues
tonight.
The Richmond City Council recessed its decision-making hearing at
about 12:05 a.m. today and will resume at 7 p.m. at Kennedy High
School's multipurpose room.
The council must decide whether Chevron's plan to replace its power
plant, hydrogen plant and reformer will move forward. The Planning
Commission last month approved a permit along with about 70 provisions,
but neither Chevron nor environmental activists are satisfied. Both are
appealing that ruling to the council.
The appeals began Tuesday night before a packed house of more than
400 people. The project would bring much-needed jobs and begin to
reverse the city's violent crime rate, supporters said.
"Jobs give you prestige and self-esteem about yourself," said
Richmond resident Antwone Cloird, a Chevron employee. "This is going to
change lives."
Opponents said they want good-paying jobs for locals too, but the
project poses a public health risk that must be thoroughly studied and
mitigated first.
"We can have good union jobs and clean air," resident Susan Meeter
said.
Debate about Chevron's proposal has centered on whether the upgrades
are environmentally sound. Critics contend the upgrades would enable the
processing of heavier, more contaminated crude that would increase
pollutants and health problems.
It is a charge refinery representatives have denied. The refinery
would process a wider range of crude with higher sulfur content, but the
oil would remain in the same light to intermediate range it is now and
overall emissions would not increase, they argued.
Councilman Tom Butt asked refinery representatives if they would be
willing to accept more comprehensive restrictions on crude to ease
public fears, a question that is similar to what a planning commissioner
posed earlier this year. But Chevron again declined, saying such
restrictions are precedent-setting and could tie its hands when it comes
to adapting to a changing crude market.
Also on Tuesday, City Manager Bill Lindsay announced that Chevron
submitted a proposed "community benefits agreement" that would pump
$61.6 million into city services, such as more police officers, job
training for residents and healthcare for the poor.
The agreement is no substitute for environmental safeguards,
opponents said.
"Money cannot buy our health," said Richmond resident Torm
Nompraseurt, a member of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network.
Emotions ran high both during the hearing and before it. Moments
before the hearing started, opponents gathered outside and read the
names of individuals who they say died of health issues attributed to
environmental problems.
"Communities like North Richmond and Parchester on the front lines of
the chemical assault have taken their fair share of environmental
pollution," said Henry Clark, executive director of the West County
Toxics Coalition. "We don't want anymore."
Chevron supporters clad in "Yes Renewal Project" T-shirts countered
by chanting, "We need more jobs."
Reach Katherine Tam at 510-262-2787 or
ktam@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Lively meeting expected on Chevron expansion
Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
More than 1,000 people jammed a Richmond City Council meeting Tuesday
night to make impassioned pleas for and against Chevron's plan to expand
its waterfront refinery.
The City Council is expected to meet again tonight to vote on the
issue, which has galvanized environmentalists, community groups and
labor unions.
"We're driving to the hospital while Chevron goes to the bank," said
Rev. Kenneth Davis, a Richmond resident. "My health is not for sale."
Chevron wants to build a new power plant and crude-oil refining
facility at its 3,000-acre plant. Material processed at the new facility
would contain higher levels of sulfur and other contaminants, city
officials have said.
The Richmond Planning Commission initially approved the plan, with a
limit on the amount of heavy crude oil the refinery can process. But on
June 19, the commission reversed its decision, lifting the cap after a
city-hired consultant said the refinery's emissions are already limited
so a cap isn't necessary.
Chevron and environmental groups both appealed the Planning
Commission's decision to the City Council.
"I'm swayed by those who've asked for a more comprehensive crude-oil
cap," City Councilman Tony Thurmond said. "My concerns are what the
environmental, health and safety impacts will be, especially in a
community with such a high rate of asthma and other illness."
Chevron has said that the new facility would produce an insignificant
increase in air pollution, and that the project would actually decrease
overall emissions.
"This project has no significant environmental impacts. That's a
remarkable achievement for a project of this magnitude," said Bob
Chamberlin, an environmental specialist for Chevron. "In fact, this
project makes things even better."
Labor groups have been pushing for the expansion because of the new
jobs that would be created during construction.
But environmental groups have decried Chevron's plan, saying it would
unleash dangerous amounts of mercury, selenium and sulfur into the air
and water.
"The potential for more emissions is enormous. Because this facility
will allow them to process lower-quality crude," said Adrienne Bloch, a
senior attorney with Communities for a Better Environment.
Before the meeting, Chevron told the city it would give $61 million
in health, education, environmental and alternative energy programs to
mitigate for the project.
Environmental groups said that it wasn't enough, and that Chevron was
required to do many of those programs anyway.
City Councilman Tom Butt said he would like to see Chevron do more
for Richmond residents, such as offering health, education and
employment programs, and reduce its emissions overall.
"My No. 1 priority is, I want to be sure this project is not going to
cause any increase in air or water pollutants. It's pretty simple," he
said. "A lot of us believe this project is going to have an adverse
impact on the community, and that's something Chevron should mitigate."
E-mail Carolyn Jones at
carolynjones@sfchronicle.com.
More than 400 people packed
Richmond's City Council chambers Tuesday night as the council debated
Chevron's controversial request to expand and upgrade its Richmond
refinery.
More Details
 RICHMOND:
Patti Lee Reports On Fiery Debate Over Expansion Of Chevron Refinery
 Chevron
Defends Richmond Refinery Upgrade Project
RICHMOND:
Tom Vacar Reports On Accusations Over Chevron Refinery Expansion Plans
Richmond Residents Weigh In On Refinery Expansion
 Reporting
Allen Martin
RICHMOND (CBS 5) ―
Hundreds packed Kennedy High School Tuesday night to weigh in on
a proposal to re-develop the Chevron Refinery in Richmond. While many
city residents are against the plan, Chevron attempted to sweeten the
deal.
The San Ramon-based company proposed what they call an "upgrade" to the
facility. If approved, the plan would replace 70-year-old equipment, but
would allow the company to refine a heavier type of crude oil, and bring
what many believe would be worse pollution.
In a last minute surprise, Chevron promised giving Richmond almost $7
million for job training, millions more for health care and
environmental projects, and more than $14.5 million for alternative
energy.
Our video report has more.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All
Rights Reserved.)
·
Richmond Residents Weigh In On Refinery Expansion 
Richmond residents opposing Chevron's expansion plans packed the council
meeting.
Updated:
07/16 5:50 AM
RICHMOND, CA (KGO) --
There was a big showdown Tuesday night in Richmond where
community members took on an oil giant. The heated issue is over
Chevron's plans to expand its refinery in Richmond. The company faced a
lot of opposition at a very crowded meeting that ran into the early
morning hours at Kennedy High School.
The
Richmond Chevron facility has the capacity to refine 350,000 barrels
of crude oil a day and now the White House is pushing for more
production. However,
Richmond is no longer that company town it used to be. Tuesday
night, Chevron had to face some disillusioned longtime residents and a
more independent city council.
"I'm one of those who have chronic asthma. I wasn't sick until I came
to Richmond a couple of years afterwards," said Jackie Thompson, a
Richmond resident.
Richmond residents want to know if Chevron's proposed expansion will
refine heavier, low-grade crude which causes more pollution. The city
hired a petroleum expert to find out.
"So I reviewed what was in the record," said Ranajit Sahu, a Richmond
city consultant.
Ranajit says Chevron is taking all precautions to prevent more
pollution, but a non-profit group, called Communities for a Better
Environment, says the improvements will allow Chevron to refine heavy
crude.
"Chevron's oil switch could greatly increase global warming
emissions, flare sulfur dioxide and VOC emissions, catastrophic incident
risk," said Greg Karass, form Communities for a Better Environment.
"The refinery is currently configured to run light to medium crude.
It will stay that way as a result of the project. On account of our
configuration our product mix and our need to keep all parts of the
refinery full we cannot change," said Bob Chamberlin, a Chevron
Environmental Specialist.
The meeting was divided between those who are leery of Chevron's
promise and those who support the expansion primarily because it will
create 1,200 construction jobs.
"Look at the murder rate. Give some of these kids some jobs and watch
some guns get put down," said Antoine Cloy, from Union Laborers Local
324.
"I keep telling the council and planning commission about
environmental racism, environmental injustice," said Dr. Henry Clark
M.D., from the West County Toxics Coalition.
Tuesday night, Chevron also offered the city $61 million in community
benefits over 10 years.
Chevron is appealing the city planning commission's condition that it
must reduce 430,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. It
claims it would not create that much pollution, but it does not want the
restriction because Chevron says it would set a president on future
production.
So Chevron wants the capacity to refine heavy crude, but it says it
will only refine light to mid grade crude. That's wasn't playing well
with people at the meeting. There were more than 400 people who wanted
to speak at the meeting. There were so many that wanted to voice their
opinion that the meeting will be continued Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at
Kennedy High School.
(Copyright ©2008 KGO-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
Communities for a Better Environment
West County Toxics Coalition
For Immediate Release
July 16, 2008
Chevron Offers Richmond’s City Council
$61 Million To Approve Its Polluting Expansion Project
Richmond Residents
and Bay Area Community say, “Our health is not for sale”
Richmond, CA—Over 500 Bay Area residents
attended a Richmond City Council public hearing last night on Chevron’s
bid to expand the Richmond refinery to process dirtier crude oil. The
plant expansion is seen as a dramatic step in the wrong direction in the
effort to decrease pollution-related health risks and climate change in
Richmond and the Bay Area. The City Council is expected to issue a
final vote tonight.
In a last minute effort to lock-in City Council
approval for Chevron’s refinery expansion, Chevron presented the City of
Richmond a $61 million dollar ‘Community Benefit Agreement’ (CBA). The
Agreement, submitted to the city council in closed session immediately
before the public council hearing, would reportedly include $6.75
million for jobs and education programs, $6 million for community health
programs, and requires the City Council’s approval of the polluting
expansion project to take effect. Other elements of Chevron’s proposal
include requiring the City to propose the implementation of standards
that would exempt Chevron projects from design review and would result
in changes to the City’s land-use process for Chevron projects.
“Chevron’s pay-off is an insult to the residents of
Richmond,” said Dr. Henry Clark of the West County Toxics Coalition.
“Chevron should pay more than $61 million for decades of poisoning our
communities. And the demand for environmental justice means Chevron
should not be allowed to pollute us any more.”
“$61 million over a decade in comparison to the
$50 million a day Chevron spends on oil expansion is insulting – these
are Chevron’s crumbs,” said Jessica Tovar of the Community for a Better
Environment. “Our health is more important than Chevron’s wealth.”
As indicated by a poll released earlier this week,
conducted by David Binder Research and commissioned by the Asian Pacific
Environmental Network, an overwhelming majority (73 %) of voters support
the City Council delaying a decision on the Chevron expansion until the
environmental and health impacts of refining heavier, dirtier crude oil
is fully reviewed by the City. In anticipation of Chevron’s effort to
pressure the City Council with the CBA, the poll also showed that 75% of
Richmond voters think that it is important that potential projects to be
funded be determined in an open public process, which the CBA
undermines.
“Of course Richmond needs resources for schools,
safety, and public health. But if the City Council approves Chevron’s
dirty oil refining project in exchange for $61 million, it is condemning
another generation of kids in Richmond to a future of asthma, cancer,
and other health problems,” said Roger Kim, Associate Director of the
Asian Pacific Environmental Network, in response to Chevron’s CBA.
“This looks like a last-ditch effort to induce the City Council to
approve Chevron’s dirty oil refining project and we hope the council
knows better than to take it.”
The Richmond Alliance for Environmental Justice— a
coalition of community groups that represent thousands of Richmond
families—is demanding the city council establish a ‘comprehensive crude
cap’ to ensure the Chevron refinery is limited from processing dirtier
crude oils. In addition, the Alliance is demanding a Chevron pay into
the “Fund for Richmond’s Future” – a community-controlled fund to
support the development of a cleaner and greener economy in Richmond.
###
Richmond Alliance for
Environmental Justice includes: Atchison Village Environment Committee,
Communities for a Better Environment, West County Toxics Coalition,
Laotian Organizing Project/Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Richmond
Progressive Alliance, Richmond Greens, Richmond Vision 2000, ACORN
Contra Costa County, Richmond Equitable Development Initiative, Urban
Habitat, Faithworks!, East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy,
Rainforest Action Network, Amazon Watch, Direct Action to Stop the War,
Greenaction, and Genesis (partial list). |
