Business
Chevron Reports Progress in Flaring, Emissions at Community Town Hall
At the first in a series of community town halls on Oct. 16, Chevron Richmond reported a reduction in year-over-year flaring incidents, both in number and duration, and detailed new technologies and processes that will further drive down emissions and heighten community awareness about operations. Chevron employees also answered questions from the community and listened to concerns at the town hall, which was hosted by Ceres Policy Research and held at CoBiz in downtown Richmond.

By Mike Aldax
The Richmond Standard
At the first in a series of community town halls on Oct. 16, Chevron Richmond reported a reduction in year-over-year flaring incidents, both in number and duration, and detailed new technologies and processes that will further drive down emissions and heighten community awareness about operations.
Chevron employees also answered questions from the community and listened to concerns at the town hall, which was hosted by Ceres Policy Research and held at CoBiz in downtown Richmond.
Similar town halls will be held twice per year over the next five years as part of a settlement agreement with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD).
The goal is to increase transparency about flaring and increase opportunities for the community to get answers to their questions about potential impacts to the community.
A key output is the creation of a Community Action Plan, or CAP. The CAP aims to create a two-way dialogue between Chevron and neighbors around flaring and environmental compliance.
“Chevron’s focus in this process is one of learning and engagement,” said Brian Hubinger, public affairs manager at Chevron Richmond. “We felt the most efficient way was to bring together a broad selection of community members rather than just think about what it would take to comply with the settlement agreement.”
The first town hall drew a few dozen members of the community, including Chevron employees, representatives of fence-line neighborhoods and members of local environmental organizations.
During the event, Chevron employees reported that 19 BAAQMD-reportable flaring incidents occurred at the refinery from October 2022 to September 2023 with a total duration of 270 hours. During the same period this year, 18 flaring incidents occurred with a total duration of 159 hours, marking a 41% decrease in duration.
Further gains are expected with the implementation of Flare IQ, set to be installed this year and next on all of the refinery’s flaring systems. Flare IQ is described as a supercomputer with an algorithm that gathers data from operations and enables employees to address potential issues before they occur.
Chevron also reported a 40% decrease in particulate matter emissions since the completion of the refinery modernization project in 2018.
In addition, flare gas volume related to Chevron’s new hydrogen plant project, built as part of the modernization project, decreased by 85% since 2019. The hydrogen plant has also reportedly made the refinery 20% more efficient.
“We’re really proud about that,” said Kris Battleson, manager of health, safety and environment at Chevon Richmond.
Neighborhood council leaders joined the president of the local NAACP in lauding the effort toward transparency and accountability. Among them was Vernon Whitmore, president of the Sante Fe Neighborhood Council and member of the 15-person CAP committee.
“The way we were able to talk openly and freely with Chevron – honestly, bluntly and frankly – while developing this program was very good,” Whitmore said. “And it was something that was well-needed at this time.”
Still, residents are skeptical, including Kathleen Sullivan, a longtime community advocate who also serves on the CAP committee. But she added, “you can’t complain about something and not be involved in the solution.”
Bay Area
Gov. Newsom Looks Back at 2024 Milestones; Presents Vision for 2025
Newsom opened by recounting his announcement atop the Golden Gate Bridge of $150.4 billion in record-breaking visitor spending. He reflected on signing a bill with singer Demi Lovato to protect young content creators from financial exploitation. He celebrated the Olympic flag transfer ceremony, signifying California’s preparation for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

By Joe W. Bowers, California Black Media
In a recent video address, Gov. Gavin Newsom shared key moments that shaped California in 2024. He emphasized achievements in tourism, technology, public safety, and environmental resilience while underscoring the state’s ability to tackle challenges head-on.
Newsom opened by recounting his announcement atop the Golden Gate Bridge of $150.4 billion in record-breaking visitor spending. He reflected on signing a bill with singer Demi Lovato to protect young content creators from financial exploitation. He celebrated the Olympic flag transfer ceremony, signifying California’s preparation for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Focusing on innovation, Newsom praised NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang for his leadership in advancing generative AI. He showcased the transformation of an abandoned mall into a quantum computing center in L.A. that addresses global challenges.
He also highlighted the ARCHES coalition’s work on green hydrogen, aiming to decarbonize California’s industries.
Newsom emphasized California’s leadership on clean transportation with over 2 million electric vehicles sold and a statewide network of 150,000 public chargers. He spoke about joining Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to celebrate the long-awaited electrification of Caltrain, linking San Francisco to San Jose.
In climate resilience, Newsom spotlighted removing the Klamath Dam, the largest project in U.S. history, restoring salmon migration and tribal lands. He discussed agreements with Italy and Pope Francis to address greenhouse gas emissions and praised the legislature’s action to increase transparency and hold oil companies accountable for gas price spikes.
Turning to health, housing, and education, Newsom outlined progress on Proposition 1 to improve mental health care, legislative efforts to increase housing construction, and the expansion of universal free school meals for all public school students.
Public safety highlights included combating fentanyl trafficking, expanding the California Highway Patrol, and addressing organized retail theft through new legislation.
Newsom also celebrated the state’s balanced budget for the current and upcoming fiscal years. He joked about his detailed budget presentations as his “yearly Super Bowl,” highlighting the importance he places on fiscal responsibility.
The Governor closed by reflecting on 2024 as a year defined by resilience and optimism, crediting California’s ability to navigate polarization and overcome challenges. He emphasized the importance of preserving California’s values of innovation and inclusiveness while continuing to invest in communities, infrastructure, and equity as the state looks ahead to 2025.
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