California’s Richmond City Council (USA) has voted unanimously to approve a $550 million settlement agreement with Chevron over alleged pollution. As a part of the settlement, Richmond has agreed to pull a measure that was set to appear on the November ballot, asking voters to approve a refinery tax on Chevron.
While the city council expressed its support for the refinery tax, but Mayor Eduardo Martinez told ABC in a report that this settlement is an easier, guaranteed way to get the money from Chevron. ‘Carson City had passed a similar measure in 2017 and they still haven’t seen the money because its been tied up in litigation, he said.
Martinez says it was fear of losing at the ballot box that pushed Chevron to approach the city with the proposal. But the company says it views the offer as a way of being a responsible member of the Richmond community.
‘I think we always maintain a good dialogue with the city. We’re always looking at ways to collaborate. Like I said, we’ve had a long history with Richmond,’ says Chevron spokesperson Brian Hubinger.
