City of RichmondAn Overview to the Community Emissions Reduction Plan(in draft) November 14, 2023
Contents
● Background to AB 617
● Community Selection
● Air Pollution Health Impacts
● Plan Process
● Community Concerns
● Community Emissions Reduction Plan Goals
● Example Actions from the Draft Community Emissions Reduction Plan
● A Focus on Fuel Refining
● Community Engagement
October 26, 2023
Background
Community Air Protection Program (AB 617)
● State-mandated community air protection program
● Community-based approach to improve community health by reducing exposure to air pollution in the most impacted neighborhoods through the development of Community Emissions Reduction Plans
Community Emission Reduction Plan
● Plan, co-developed with community, that contains new strategies and actions (e.g., regulations, enforcement, incentives, enforceable agreements) that go beyond existing efforts to further reduce air pollution disparities
● Adopted by the Air District Board of Directors
Why was our area selected for a community emissions reduction plan? The cities of Richmond and San
Pablo, and several unincorporated
areas in Contra Costa County are
severely impacted by air
pollution from:
● Ports
● Ships
● Marine
terminals
● Railroads and
railyards
● Heavy-duty
trucks
● Congested
freeways
● Fuel Refining
● Landfill
● Other industrial
and
commercial
operations
Who is impacted?
The majority of the
community
members living in
the Path to Clean
Air area (which
includes Richmond,
North Richmond,
and San Pablo) are
Latinx, Asian, and
Black/African
American.
Source: Community Description, Page 17
Plan Process
● Community Assets
& Air Pollution
Mapping Project
Community Concerns
The PTCA Community
Emissions Reduction Plan
Richmond-North Richmond- San Pablo
Just Transition: In pursuit of our right to breathe clean air, promote environmental justice, and ensure the well-being of our residents and workers, our community-driven emissions reduction plan is rooted in Just Transition principles. This plan seeks to address the consequences of historical racial disparities by developing more stringent air pollution policies that advance social healing and restoration.
Health: In pursuit of reducing historically high rates of asthma, cancer, and other chronic health conditions, our plan seeks to lower our community’s disproportionate exposure to air pollution by reducing toxic emissions from local sources by 30-50% by 2035.
Community Engagement: Through education and engagement, our plan aims to empower our community by providing resources and tools to promote understanding of air pollution and its impact on our health and environment.
Hold Government Accountable: Our goal is to hold our government accountable for implementing our plan, including its strategies and actions, to protect our health and environment and effectively enforce regulations on high-polluting industries and other toxic sources of emissions in our community.
Community Emissions Reduction Plan Goals
Example Actions
Community Concern Example Plan Actions
Mobile Sources (freight
trucks, cars)
● Heavy-duty truck management (such as designating truck routes and installing design deterrents to prevent trucks from using residential streets) ● Invest in zero emission bus fleets
Public Health and
Reducing Exposures
● Reduce vulnerabilities to air pollution by expanding health care ● Reduce exposure in homes by upgrading windows and installing air filtration systems
Marine and Rail ● Implement locomotive regulations to regulate emissions from freight rail operations, prioritizing zero emission technology
● Advocate for the State to establish more stringent rules to require zero emission cargo handling equipment at ports and railyards Example ActionsExample Actions
Community Concern Example Plan Actions
Commercial and
Industrial Near
Community
● Use best practices to control dust at commercial and industrial businesses
● Require more stringent review of industrial businesses proposed to be located near residential uses
Land Use and Urban
Greening
● Plant trees in priority neighborhoods (near freeways and within the “fenceline” of industrial facilities)
● Update regulations to buffer residents from sources of pollution such as freeways and industrial uses (by requiring developers to install air filtration systems and locate windows, balconies and plazas away from pollution sources)
Compliance &
Enforcement
● Develop an education and outreach campaign to inform the community about the Air District Complaints System
● Investigate targeted facilities of concern
Fuel Refining Strategy 1
Move Towards a Just Transition
FR 1.1. Educate the CSC and Air District on how Just Transition would apply to the Zero Emission Future and a managed phase-down of fossil fuels in the PTCA area. The CSC will establish a Just Transition Subcommittee (JTS) as part of Path to Clean Air Plan Implementation by Q2 2024
FR 1.2. Incorporate Just Transition Principles and Criteria in the prioritization and implementation of the PTCA Plan and explore incorporating these in governmental policymaking and rulemaking Strategy 1 Actions- Just Transition
STRATEGY 2
Reduce Persistent Flaring and Improve
Incident Response
FR 2.1. Air District and the CSC will work with the City of Richmond to strengthen the Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO)
FR 2.2. The Air District will coordinate with the CSC to improve and expand communications about all flaring events for the fuel refining sector in the PTCA area and also for major incidents at both fuel-refining and non-fuel refining sources
- Communications mechanisms will be developed in collaboration with a CSC Communications Subcommittee and include (A) a new webpage and (B) standardized internal and external communication protocols.
FR 2.3. Air District and CSC will collaborate with Contra Costa County to recommend improvements for their Community Warning System.
Strategy 2 Actions- Flaring and Major Incidents
STRATEGY 3
Hold Chevron and Other Emitters Accountable for
Reducing Pollution and Negative Public Health Impacts
from their Operations
FR 3.1. Air District will develop and implement a standardized Chevron inspection protocol in partnership with the CSC
FR 3.2 Increase the frequency of Air District inspections, audits, and investigations at Chevron and Chemtrade
FR 3.3. Build a stronger collaborative relationship with operators and USW Local 5 Health and Safety representatives
FR 3.4. Transparent, Regular, and Inclusive Updates on Compliance and Enforcement Activity at Chevron
Strategy 3 Actions - Compliance and Enforcement
FR 3.7. Air District will provide quarterly and annual updates to CSC about penalties assessed against fuel refining sector facilities and all other sources in the PTCA area
FR 3.8. Air District will collaboratively develop, with the CSC, and pilot legal enforcement approaches then expanded to cover all PTCA sources
FR 3.9. First, Air District will partner with the CSC to develop a Community Benefits Policy (CBP) that invests up to 100% of penalty monies from the fuel refining sector back into the PTCA area then be expanded to all sectors in the PTCA area.
Strategy 3 Actions - Legal and Penalties
How can local residents and communities get involved?
The success of the plan depends on continued participation and activism of the Richmond, North Richmond and San Pablo community.
● Register to receive regular electronic email updates by visiting the project webpage (and scroll to the bottom of the page)
● Attend the public (virtual) Community Steering Committee meetings; visit the calendar of meetings webpage and look for the “Path to Clean Air Community Emissions Reduction Plan Steering Committee”
● Look out for calls to action