By Mike Aldax
Chevron Richmond and the Bay Area Air District (Air District) announced an agreement today that will strengthen community air monitoring and improve transparency.
As part of the agreement, the company will enhance its long-running fenceline air monitoring system in Richmond by installing four higher-accuracy point monitors for hydrogen sulfide, replacing older open-path equipment. These monitors offer more precise readings, lower detection thresholds, and better resistance to environmental interference.
Chevron Richmond already provides public access to real-time air monitoring data via richmondairmonitoring.org. The agreement adds a provision for historical data to be maintained for at least five years, an increase from the three months currently available, and requires the data to be downloadable.
In addition, the company will issue quarterly pollutant reports, including quality assurance and control measures, and convene a community meeting later this year to gather public feedback on data accessibility and system enhancements. A one-time payment of $100,000 to the Air District is also part of the agreement.
The steps, centered on the Air District’s Refining Emissions Tracking Rule (Regulation 12, Rule 15), “goes beyond what’s required” under the rule, said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District.
‘[The agreement] raises the bar for transparency and community access to air quality data, setting a positive example for the industry.’
“It raises the bar for transparency and community access to air quality data, setting a positive example for the industry,” Dr. Fine said.
Chevron Richmond Refinery External Communications Advisor Caitlin Powell agrees the increase in transparency and data is a good thing, but it was not an easy road to get here.
“The resources and time it took to demonstrate that the Air District’s initial recommendations were unattainable, and to reach this agreement, show the need for agencies to work more collaboratively with industry and to implement clearly defined, data-driven regulations,” Powell said.
Chevron Richmond has been funding fenceline and community air monitoring since 2013, about four years before the Air District implemented requirements. The system is operated by an independent third-party expert, Sonoma Technology (a Spheros Environmental company), and provides real-time community air quality data, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The fenceline monitors measure ambient air quality which can be impacted by a number of factors including local sources, such as car and trucks, wood smoke and industrial operations, and weather conditions that transport pollution from other areas, such as wildfire smoke.
Dr. Steven Schill, VP and West Division Director at Spheros Environmental, said the latest Air District agreement will enhance the system and make data “more easily accessible to the public.”
“The comprehensive, real-time monitoring system our team operates and maintains at the Chevron Richmond facility utilizes state of the art technology to measure, analyze, and report air quality information to the public,” Dr. Schill said.
The Air District plans to continue working with other refineries to achieve full Rule 12-15 compliance across the Bay Area.