Richmond, CA – Last night, Richmond City Council became the first city in the state to pass a resolution opposing any carbon dioxide waste dumping projects and carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines within or near Richmond. 

“As a councilmember and Richmond resident, our safety and ability to prevent disastrous emergencies is of utmost priority,” said resolution sponsor Councilmember Claudia Jimenez. “I am proud to bring forward this common sense safety measure that will keep dangerous carbon pipelines out of our community.”

Carbon dumping projects (also known as carbon capture and storage, or CCS) have been proposed across the Bay Area and California and pose a host of health and safety risks to people and wildlife in surrounding areas. They also require miles of CO2 pipelines to be built to transport carbon from refineries and other polluters to be stored underground.

Leaks can be disastrous. When compressed CO2 leaks, it can lead to asphyxiation, seizures, loss of consciousness, and potentially death. Further, transporting CO2 in pipelines and injecting it underground is dangerous. CO2 reacts with trace amounts of moisture to form an acid that can corrode pipelines and put nearby drinking water sources at serious risk.

“CCS is not only unsafe for people and the environment, but it consistently falls far short of lofty climate promises,” said Victoria Bogdan Tejeda, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “Richmond is doing the right thing by standing up to this dirty, dangerous delay tactic and I hope others follow suit.”

These threats have become all the more real for Richmond residents after the California legislature last year lifted the state moratorium on CO2 pipelines. 

“We are living in times where we’re seeing the degradation of our environment everywhere and our communities being sold out to fossil fuel interests,” said MaryRuth Gross, Richmond Resident and advocate with 350 Bay Area Action. “But opposing these pipelines is something we can do right now. This is our city and this is something we can do for us and our neighbors. We must do everything we can.”

Along with Richmond residents, environmental advocates attended the city council meeting to provide public comment and encourage the passage of this resolution. 

Isabel Penman, Northern California Organizer at Food & Water Watch, “Carbon capture and storage projects are a fossil fuel industry scheme that is only intended to prolong Big Oil in our state when we need to be rapidly transitioning to clean, sustainable and safe energy. We urge elected officials in other cities and states to seriously consider following Richmond’s lead and banning these dangerous pipelines.”

Scott Nanos-Luz, Lead Organizer at APEN in Richmond: “We can’t allow Carbon Capture Storage infrastructure to be built in the Bay Area. Connecting a pipeline to Richmond and transporting carbon dioxide through our communities would expose migrant, working-class residents and their families to yet another dire threat to their health and well-being. We need to stop the attacks on the health of Richmond’s residents and instead, move towards healthier and safer communities beyond the fossil fuel industry.”

Shoshana Wechsler, Coordinator, Sunflower Alliance:  “Carbon capture is just not a viable climate solution, despite all the current hype.  We are far better off doubling down on proven solutions like renewable energy development.  The proposed Montezuma project could endanger Richmond residents and multiple communities along the Carquinez Strait, pollute our waterways, and damage a precious, recently restored wetlands.  Thank you, Richmond, for just saying no.”

Melvin Willis, ACCE (Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment): “Living next door to the Richmond Refinery already exposes Richmond residents to too much pollution. We need to say No to Carbon Dumping.” 

Aundi Mevoli, a scientist at San Francisco Baykeeper: “Carbon dumping always fails to live up to its greenwashed corporate messaging; in reality, this infrastructure is a means to allow oil refineries to keep polluting. We applaud Richmond for its integrity and vision in opposing these kinds of projects.”