Last Friday, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and the Department of Fish and Wildlife reached a settlement with Chevron. This is in response to last year's oil leak at the Richmond Refinery Marine Terminal.
The leak started as a small hole in a pipeline, back in February of last year. It went on to spill nearly 760 gallons of oil into the water of the Richmond Long Wharf.
In the days following the spill, there were no reports of the spilled oil affecting the animals or people in the area. However, a sheen of oil could be seen in the Bay waters, between Point Molate to Brooks Island.
In order to effectively combat oil spills like these, a coalition called a Unified Command was formed. It included Chevron, the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (or OSPR), County Health Services and the Coast Guard.
In Friday’s settlement, Chevron agreed to pay more than $130,000 to the OSPR, $70,000 towards wildlife and nature funds, and $2,000 to the Coast Guard. They’ll also pay for additional staff training and new equipment installation, according to the Contra Costa County DA.
This situation with Chevron is one of many. In 2018, Chevron had to pay $5,000,000 in fines relating to the fiery explosion at the Richmond Refinery in 2012.
