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.
9 Comments on “Oil Refinery Fights to Make “World’s Cleanest Gas”...”
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Once again the oil companies are refusing to build and shafting the American public.
@ bluecon
Your right: Total capacity would not be increased. However, they’d like to add the ability to refine a wider range of crude-oil types; if they can get the required permits.
Once again the American public (probably a few outpsokens) is refusing to grant the oil companies permission to expand and update aging infrastructure.
Ah yes…. Uber-NIMBYs. The one thing that makes me embarrassed to be a native CA boy. I can’t help but wonder how many of these protesters drove a car to the meeting.
Here in Santa Barbara I love all the tree-hugger cars with anti-oil, anti-Bush, anti-everything bumper stickers on them.
I think the people of Richmond should rest easy. Even if the refinery expansion is allowed, Hillary has promised to relieve the oil companies of all their profits.
@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.