Chevron’s modernization project continues its public review process this week at the Richmond Planning Commission, with continued opportunities for public testimony.

The Planning Commission will meet this Wednesday, July 9^th and Thursday July 10^th to review the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and determine whether or not to recommend approval of the project. These meetings will allow opportunity for members of the Richmond community to voice their opinions to the Commission before their vote on the project.

Public engagement on projects like this is key to the process. Since 2011, when development and language around the project began in earnest, over a dozen community meetings and educational sessions have been held to discuss various aspects of the Chevron Modernization Project. From lengthy Design Review Board public hearings, to an event focused on discussing how a refinery works, the public has been engaged from the beginning. This past April, dozens of community members turned out for a Planning Commission meeting to express their opinion on the state of Chevron's EIR. The Planning Commission, community members and Chevron have been working through the specifics of the EIR, and this week’s Planning Commission meeting is a culmination of years spent learning and debating the ins and outs of Chevron's modernization project.

After multiple revisions, the FEIR was released June 9th. You can read the FEIR here.

Wednesday's meeting will allow members of the public a chance to express support or concerns and work through new details presented in the FEIR. After the planning commission vote, the project will head to the City Council for review on July 22^nd, 29^th and 30^th.

The Planning Commission meeting will be held this Wednesday, July 9^th, in the cafeteria of John F. Kennedy High School and begins at 6:30 pm. If needed, the meeting will continue the following evening at the same time and place.