Two weeks ago, an oil pipeline at the Chevron refinery in Richmond leaked, spilling more than 700 gallons of diesel mixture into the Bay. Authorities closed nearby Keller Beach and issued a public health advisory for toxic fumes and contaminated water.
"The whole area smells like a gas station,” Baykeeper Executive Director Sejal Choksi-Chugh said in an interview, “And there's the possibility of long-term, unknown damage to the Bay itself and to all the wildlife that depend on it."
Oakland, CA—Oil infrastructure at Chevron's Richmond refinery failed today, causing oil to spill into the Bay. Chevron's initial measures to control the spill were inadequate, and oil quickly breached Chevron's containment boom. The Contra Costa Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office Community Warning System issued a public health advisory. The size of the spill is yet unknown.
In response, Baykeeper executive director Sejal Choksi-Chugh issued the following statement
Just west of the Carquinez Bridge in Contra Costa County is a site that looks like a big parking lot, but underneath are toxic heavy metals. Environmentalists warn that rising sea levels due to climate change could unleash these toxins into the San Francisco Bay. The land is owned by the State Lands Commission and an oil company, but the state is responsible for deciding what happens to it. But despite meetings, proposals and promises, cleanup isn’t even close to starting.
When you look out over the San Francisco Bay it looks blue and beautiful. However, if you follow the waterway all the way up to Discovery Bay in the summer, you’ll see huge toxic algae blooms that are choking it and turning it green. NBC Bay Area's Vianey Arana interviews senior scientist Jon Rosenfield from the San Franciso Baykeepers about the role climate change is playing in the explosion of the algae blooms and what’s got to be done to keep the entire bay from turning into a toxic pea soup.
I know. We’re already four weeks into the new year. And you may be wondering if this note is a little overdue. So, I’ll be honest: I've been delaying sending you my best wishes.
Two years ago, Baykeeper scientists discovered significant amounts of bacteria pollution from raw sewage in Stevens Creek, Calabazas Creek, Guadalupe Slough, and other South Bay waterways. Our sampling revealed E. coli at levels 50 times the legal limit. And the culprits were the cities of Sunnyvale and Mountain View.
Hazardous pollution from these facilities contaminates communities around California
OAKLAND (Jan. 8, 2021) – Environmental justice and conservation groups filed an amicus brief today, calling on the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) to regulate metal shredding facilities throughout the state.
You can reach Baykeeper's pollution hotline at 1-800-KEEP-BAY, email us at [email protected], or fill out the form below to submit a confidential pollution tip.
