Oil Refinery Fights to Make "World's Cleanest Gas"
According to Contra Costa Times, tonight's public hearing at the Richmond, CA city council chamber is likely to be "packed and emotionally charged." Before Chevron can upgrade its local refinery, the Planning Commission must decide whether an Environmental Impact Report ( EIR) issued in January is complete. The oil company wants to use new equipment to refine a wider range of crude into gasoline. Refinery reps say the upgrades would make the refinery more reliable and efficient, and create about 1.2k (temporary) construction jobs. Critics want an EIR do-over; they fear Chevron would process crude oil that's "more contaminated," increasing pollution for residents and wildlife. Chevron says uh-uh, and points out the refined refinery will make the "cleanest fuel in the world." Even if Richmond approves the deal, Chevron must then secure permits from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the California Energy Commission. Year three of Chevron's effort continues.
Glenn is a baby-boomer, born in 1954. Along with his wife, he makes his home in Connecticut. Employed in the public sector as an Information Tedchnology Specialist, Glenn has long been a car fan. Past rides have included heavy iron such as a 1967 GTO, to a V8 T-Bird. In between those high-horsepower cars, he's owned a pair of BMW 320i's. Now, with a daily commute of 40 miles, his concession to MPG dictates the ownership of a 2006 Honda Civic coupe which, while fun to drive, is a modest car for a pistonhead. As an avid reader, Glenn enjoys TTAC, along with many other auto-realated sites, and the occasional good book. As an avid electronic junkie, Glenn holds an Advanced Class amateur ("ham") radio license, and is into many things electronic. From a satellite radio and portable GPS unit in the cars, to a modest home theater system and radio-intercom in his home, if it's run by the movement of electrons, he's interested. :-)
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@Cicero Yeah, that would be the worst. Oil companies should keep all of their billions in profits every year. Back on topic, I think this is the sort of situation where the public good could supersede the complaints of some locals.
And yet they complain about the cost of gas in California (said smugly from America's refinery capital, NJ, where gas is still (barely) under $3.00/gallon)
Now we know why large corporations have so many friggen lawyers.
The governments make it almost impossible to build new refineries, make more profit on a gallon of gas than the auto companies and don't allow the companies to drill and produce the large amounts of oil available in the USA.Then chastise the companies for making to large a profit after the government caused the shortage and high prices.