Jul 22, 2009 10:29 pm US/Pacific
AG Offers Mediation In Richmond Refinery Project
RICHMOND (BCN) ―
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Chevron Richmond Refinery.
AP
State Attorney General Jerry Brown has offered to mediate negotiations between Chevron, the city of Richmond and three environmental groups in an effort to reach an agreement that will allow Chevron to resume construction of an upgrade to its Richmond refinery, Brown said Wednesday.
More than 1,000 construction workers were laid off early this month after the refinery was ordered to stop work on its Energy and Hydrogen Renewal Project, according to Chevron.
Brown, who made his offer at the Richmond City Council meeting Tuesday night, said he believes the issues could be resolved quickly.
"This is a huge problem when 1,000 hard working Americans are out of work," Brown said. "I want to get them back to work."
He said he believes the difference between the two sides is relatively small, particularly when compared to the financial hardship that workers are experiencing as a result of the work stoppage.
"I believe it can be resolved," Brown said.
Following Brown's statement, the Richmond City Council unanimously passed a resolution urging Chevron and the environmental groups to take Brown up on his offer, Brown said.
"We are very ready, willing and able to join Attorney General Jerry Brown in settlement talks," Mimi Ho with the environmental group Asian Pacific Environmental Network said Wednesday.
The Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Communities for a Better Environment and the West County Toxics Coalition sued Chevron in September to stop the project, which they claim would give the refinery the capacity to process heavier crude oil and could result in increased pollution in nearby communities.
Ho said all three environmental groups hoped Chevron would agree to Brown's offer.
"Community members need both jobs and health," Ho said.
Chevron spokesman Brent Tippen, however, said Wednesday afternoon that Chevron appreciates Brown's offer, but that the company does not want Brown to mediate negotiations.
The two sides are currently in private mediation and Tippen said that although the mediation adjourned Wednesday, the company believes it is premature to consider other mediation proposals.
The Richmond City Council approved the project by a 5-4 vote last July and Chevron broke ground in September. At that time, the three environmental groups, represented by the law firm Earthjustice, sued the refinery to stop the project.
In June, Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Barbara Zuniga ruled that the environmental impact report for the project was invalid because it failed to disclose whether it would enable the refinery to process heavier crude oil.
On July 1, Zuniga gave the refinery 60 days to demobilize construction and Chevron began laying off workers.
On Monday, Chevron filed a notice of appeal in the state appeals court seeking to overturn Zuniga's ruling.
Ho said environmentalists want an enforceable commitment from Chevron that it will not begin processing heavier crude oil.
Chevron has repeatedly said that it did not plan to process heavier crude, but has declined agree to a cap on the quality of crude oil it would be refining.
"We want an enforceable commitment that the project will not worsen the health impact on the community," Ho said.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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