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Community Feedback at Chevron Richmond Town Halls Drives Changes
OAKLAND POST — Over the past two years, public input has produced changes across transparency, communication, safety, and local funding. To improve transparency, Chevron Richmond expanded public air monitoring access with downloadable records and quarterly reports, updated their website, posted regular notices on Facebook to keep residents informed about operations, and attended six Neighborhood Council meetings to answer community questions directly.
A town hall on Wednesday, Sept. 16, will review two years of community-driven changes at Chevron Richmond, including expanded air monitoring information, improved emergency preparedness, and new investments in neighborhood health and safety programs.
The Community Action Plan (CAP) Town Hall, hosted by CERES Policy Research and Chevron Richmond, takes place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at CoBiz Richmond, 1503 Macdonald Ave., Suite A. The CAP process stems from a 2024 agreement between Chevron Richmond and the Bay Area Air District over Regulation 6, Rule 5, providing an ongoing public forum on operations, air quality, flaring, and safety.
A centerpiece of the meeting will be a “You Asked, We Listened” presentation highlighting community requests, resulting actions, and future plans.
Over the past two years, public input has produced changes across transparency, communication, safety, and local funding. To improve transparency, Chevron Richmond expanded public air monitoring access with downloadable records and quarterly reports, updated their website, posted regular notices on Facebook to keep residents informed about operations, and attended six Neighborhood Council meetings to answer community questions directly.
Communication improvements include expanded Spanish translation for mailed newsletters, meetings, and flaring information; the air monitoring website, richmondairmonitoring.org, can now be changed to Spanish using the toggle in the upper right corner. On that same website, Chevron Richmond simplified complex air data using plain-language explanations of chemicals and health effects, color-coded charts, video guides, workshops, and wider promotion across local media and neighborhood groups.
Emergency readiness efforts led Chevron Richmond to partner with Contra Costa County and Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) to boost sign-ups for the Community Warning System, and to bring CAER staff to community events to walk residents through alert tools.
Resident input also directed money into local neighborhoods via a dedicated Community Resilience Funding stream. Grants have supported LifeLong Medical Care health promoters for in-home asthma assessments, MCE Home Energy Savings home retrofits to improve indoor air quality, and the American Red Cross Sound the Alarm program to install smoke alarms near the facility.
The Sept. 16 agenda also feature a “Flaring 101” presentation, an emergency response briefing, Chevron Richmond updates, and an open public question-and-answer session.
The event is free and open to the public, with free food available beginning at 6 p.m. Residents can register through Eventbrite. Spanish and American Sign Language services are available upon request; email klynch@cerespolicyresearch.com at least 72 hours before the event. Chevron Richmond has more information available.
