Richmond Climate Movement Secures $550 Million Settlement from Chevron

Chevron has done more than virtually any other entity to cause the climate and ecological crisis we are facing today. Despite knowing of the catastrophic potential harms of burning fossil fuels as early as the 1950s, Chevron has released more carbon into the atmosphere than any other US corporation. 

In addition to the severe global impacts of its business, Chevron has also had a massive negative impact in the local areas where its fossil fuel infrastructure is located. The city of Richmond, California is a prime example. Chevron operates a massive refinery in Richmond, which processes roughly 250,000 barrels of oil per day. The refinery creates significant air pollution, leading to heightened rates of respiratory and cardiovascular disease in Richmond, as well as leaching toxic, carcinogenic chemicals into the local environment. In addition, the refinery has a long history of dangerous accidents, including the massive 2012 fire that sent 15,000 Richmond residents to the hospital for respiratory issues.

But Richmond has a rich history of powerful resistance to Chevron. Each year since 2012, on the anniversary of the fire, the Richmond community has organized “Anti-Chevron Day” protests, acting in solidarity with communities around the globe who have been impacted by Chevron. And more recently, CEF grantee Rich City Rays has executed two water-based blockades of oil tankers moving in and out of the refinery. These actions, which mobilized Richmond residents who have been directly impacted by the Chevron refinery, alongside allies from the East bay and San Francisco, made a huge narrative impact.

In August 2024, this pressure paid off - Chevron agreed to pay the City of Richmond a $550 million settlement. The city had been discussing plans to put forward a ballot initiative to add a $1 tax to each barrel of oil processed at the refinery, which was estimated to bring in $60 to $90 million per year. Chevron agreed to the settlement to avoid having to pay this tax, most likely because they anticipated voters overwhelmingly approving the tax.

Local community movements in Richmond, especially Communities for a Better Environment and Asian Pacific Environmental Network, deserve huge credit for the savvy advocacy that made the tax a political reality. And the disruptive protests against Chevron over the span of a decade, including recent protests by the Rich City Rays, deserve credit for reframing political narratives around Chevron in Richmond and building public opposition to Chevron. This settlement demonstrates the powerful gains that can be won when inside-game and outside-game organizing operate synergistically.