This is an UPDATE to Seeing Smokestacks, Dreaming of Blue Skies published on April 20th, 2010.

The California State Court of Appeals handed down their decision regarding the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the expansion of the Chevron Corporation’s refinery in Richmond, California on April 26, 2010, and it’s good news, at least for now.

The court ruled that Chevron must provide information to the community on changes in the grade of crude oil the refinery would process after the expansion. If Chevron were to process a much dirtier crude, as is suspected, the emissions from the plant would be much more toxic than they currently are, creating a heavier environmental burden for the health and well-being of the minority communities within close proximity to the plant.

“In this difficult economic climate, Chevron has used jobs to hold our communities hostage,” said James Walker, member of Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and local city equipment services worker. “As a Richmond resident and union worker, I shouldn’t have to choose between jobs and my family’s health.  Times are tough.  We’re all struggling to pay bills and put food on the table. It’s time for Chevron to come to the table and negotiate an agreement that protects community health and gets people back to work.”

The efforts of the Laotian Organizing Project (LOP) as well as several other key environmental justice groups were responsible for obtaining such a victory.

Sandy Saeteurn, Lead Organizer with APEN and a Richmond resident, had this to say: “Chevron is hurting Richmond residents like my family with its toxic pollution and hurting the planet with its greenhouse gases. I grew up in Richmond doing Chevron refinery accident drills instead of fire drills.  I don’t want my 9-yr old son Nicky to keep doing the same. Accurate public information about the proposed refinery expansion will allow better decisions for protecting our environmental and economic health.”