Richmond, California, is drawing a line in the sand over a controversial carbon dioxide pipeline proposal tied to Bay Area refineries.
On May 19, the city council voted to oppose a project that would transport captured CO2 from industrial facilities — including Chevron's Richmond refinery — and store it underground in Solano County.
According to Richmondside, Richmond was the first city in the state to pass a resolution against a carbon dioxide waste pipeline. The measure passed with five council members voting yes, while two abstained.
The project at the center of the debate is the Montezuma NorCal Carbon Sequestration Hub, a proposal from Emeryville-based Montezuma Carbon. The plan would reportedly move CO2 collected from Bay Area refineries, hydrogen plants, and power plants through about 40 miles of underwater pipe to an injection site beneath the Montezuma Wetlands in Solano County, near Collinsville. Chevron's Richmond refinery is expected to be the biggest source in the network, at about 4.1 million tons annually.
Councilmember Claudia Jimenez said she introduced the resolution after hearing concerns from residents. Soheila Bana, meanwhile, said the issue was speculative and that she wanted to hear more perspectives before taking a position.
The project has also run into regulatory setbacks. Richmondside reported that the Environmental Protection Agency halted technical review of an underground injection permit application after concluding the materials submitted were not sufficient and that a separate Solano County filing for a test well was likewise found incomplete.
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Carbon dioxide pipelines have become a flashpoint in communities across the country, as residents worry about leaks, safety failures, and land seizures through eminent domain. Carbon dioxide occurs naturally but can still be hazardous in heavy concentrations because it pushes out oxygen.
Food & Water Watch praised the council vote and warned that pipeline leaks can cause seizures, loss of consciousness, asphyxiation, and death. The group also raised concerns about corrosion and threats to drinking water sources, per Richmondside.
Supporters of carbon capture argue the technology could reduce industrial pollution and support California's climate goals. The state is looking to capture 14-22 million metric tons of CO2 by 2030, and proponents say pipeline infrastructure may be necessary to get there.
Richmond's resolution will not stop the project on its own.
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State-level discussions are also moving forward. Richmondside reported that Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted a moratorium on carbon removal projects last year, and environmental justice and climate groups met with the state Pipeline Safety Advisory Committee to press for stronger proposed CO2 pipeline rules.
"I think it is more of a prevention," Jimenez said. "It is not like it is going to happen right now, but it is a preventing thing to know that these kinds of projects we are not going to accept in the city of Richmond."
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