14 Dec Air District Releases Draft of Emissions Reduction Plan for West County

(Image courtesy of BAAQMD via Bay City News)

By Tony Hicks
Bay City News

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District announced Wednesday it released a draft plan to reduce emissions for the Richmond-North Richmond-San Pablo area of Contra Costa County.

The draft Community Emissions Reduction Plan identifies critical air quality and public health concerns and offers actionable solutions to address them. The plan was created in partnership with a community-led steering committee representing local community members, public agencies and other stakeholders.

The plan was developed as a requirement of Assembly Bill 617, a state law recognizing that while California has seen tremendous air quality improvement, not all communities have benefited equally. Some communities located close to freeways, ports, industry or other large pollution sources need additional focus and resources to reduce exposure levels.

Air quality has been an issue recently in West Contra Costa County. On Nov. 27, a flaring incident at Chevron’s Richmond refinery sent plumes of thick black smoke over the city. Last week, residents complained to the city and county about foul odors near the refinery and the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

“With environmental justice at its center, the Path to Clean Air Plan will provide a blueprint to achieve tangible improvements to air quality and public health in the area’s frontline and fence line communities,” Dr. Philip Fine, the air district’s executive officer, said in a statement. “The strategies outlined in this plan, created in partnership with the community steering committee, will build on years of work to eliminate disparities in air pollution exposure in Richmond-North Richmond-San Pablo. Every neighborhood deserves clean and healthy air.”

Alfredo Angulo, the committee’s co-chair, said the plan aims to address area residents’ health, air and climate.

“It voices our vision for a thriving Richmond-North Richmond-San Pablo and marks each step needed for cleaner air and healthier neighborhoods,” Angulo said. “When public agencies ally themselves with the aspirations of frontline communities, good things happen.”

The draft plan covers Richmond, San Pablo, and several unincorporated areas in Contra Costa County impacted by emission sources, including fuel refining, ships, marine terminals, industrial manufacturing facilities, railways, vehicle and freight traffic.

According to CalEnviroScreen 4.0, a state data dashboard used to identify areas disproportionately affected by pollution, several communities covered by the plan rank in the 90th percentile of pollution burden, some of the highest in California.

A 2018 Contra Costa Health Services study shows county asthma rates are higher on average than the rest of the state, and are especially high for children and Black residents.

The draft plan is now open to the public for review and comment through Jan. 19, 2024.

A virtual public workshop will be held Jan. 11 for the public to ask questions and provide input to the draft PTCA plan. To learn more, visit https://www.baaqmd.gov/PTCA-CERP.

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