Transcript:
The Chevron refinery in Richmond, California, produces over 200,000 barrels of oil a day.
In the process, it contributes to air pollution in nearby areas, where many residents have asthma.
And in 2012, a fire at the refinery caused 15,000 people to seek medical care.
Christine Cordero is with APEN, the Asian Pacific Environmental Network. For decades, the group has criticized the refinery and advocated for community needs.
Cordero: “Richmond is a working-class community, and families there struggle to meet basic needs. … We have so many potholes that go unfilled, our fire departments are actually short-staffed, and our parks and libraries are struggling to stay open while a company like Chevron rakes in billions of profits.”
Last year, APEN was part of a “Polluters Pay” campaign that pushed for a tax on every barrel of oil produced at the refinery.
The campaign prompted Chevron to offer a deal. The company agreed to pay the city $550 million over 10 years, and the tax proposal was dropped.
Cordero says the deal does not directly address the health problems caused by fossil fuel pollution, but it does present an opportunity to invest in communities that have been harmed.
Cordero: “And so in that way, it was very much a win.”
Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media
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