# Deadline to meet emissions limits looms for Chevron Richmond refinery > Source: > Published: 2026-05-30 11:15:45+00:00 **Getting your** [Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...RICHMOND — Chevron’s Richmond refinery is approaching a major pollution-rule deadline, while tens of millions of dollars tied to refinery violations are about to be steered into local air-quality and health projects. But days after environmental justice groups marched to the refinery gates, Richmond advocates say they’re still working toward a future without the Bay Area’s largest industrial polluters. Touted as a decisive victory by the Bay Area Air District, a [2024 settlement between the Air District and refinery](https://www.baaqmd.gov/news-and-events/page-resources/2024-news/021324-announcement) required Chevron to come into compliance with local emissions regulations by July 21, 2026, pay tens of millions of dollars in penalties and community health improvement programs, and implement additional emissions reduction measures. The agreement stemmed from two separate lawsuits filed by Chevron and the Martinez Refinery Company against the Bay Area Air District for changes to the agency’s Regulation 6, Rule 5, which further limited the amount of particulate matter refineries could emit. As part of the settlement, Chevron agreed to pay at least $20 million and up to $34 million toward a Community Air Quality Fund. That money will go toward grants for projects that aim to reduce air pollution, improve community health outcomes, and help with an economic transition away from the fossil fuel industry, according to the Bay Area Air District. The grant application deadline was May 29 and money is expected to be allocated this fall, district spokesperson Kristina Chu said. Chevron also agreed to pay another $20 million in fines for 678 violations unrelated to Rule 6-5 that occurred before 2024. The company could also pay up to $83 million in additional penalties if it fails to comply with Rule 6-5 during the four years after entering into the agreement — $17 million annually for violations in the first, second, or third year and $32 million in the fourth, according to an Air District settlement term sheet. “The Bay Area Air District’s focus remains on protecting public health and improving air quality for Bay Area residents through programs and policies that reduce harmful air pollution,” Chu said. The refinery is currently complying with the settlement agreement and has already implemented measures to reduce particulate matter emissions, Chu said. Chevron is also in the process of seeking approval to install a wet gas scrubber, which removes contaminants from the exhaust gas stream system using water. Chevron did not directly respond to questions about whether the company will meet the looming deadline requirements. The company did say in a statement that it has made investments toward reducing emissions. The company “is integral in powering the Bay Area’s daily life,” supporting $1 billion of economic activity in Contra Costa County annually alone, Chevron said. But the company argues government interventions have “slashed” refinery capacity in California, “making it clear the state needs a policy framework that encourages investment, not one that drives it away.” “Layered state, regional, and local policies are driving up costs and increasing uncertainty, making it harder to compete and invest,” Chevron said. California refinery production has dropped by about 18% compared to around this time last year, according to both Chevron and the [Fuels Watch Inputs and Production dashboard](https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/reports/weekly-fuels-watch/refinery-inputs-and-production) managed by the California Energy Commission, a state agency charged with overseeing energy production. The company also claims on its website that these interventions drive up fuel prices, though Chu said Air District regulations are analyzed for potential gas price impacts before adoption. Chevron noted in its statement that the company has also invested in other settlement provisions meant to improve transparency and community engagement. In partnership with Contra Costa County, the refinery has held twice-annual community meetings since October 2024. A Chevron Richmond Community Action Plan was also released in October 2024, as required under the agreement. Chevron Richmond currently funds a [community air monitoring program](https://richmondairmonitoring.org/measurements.html) that’s managed by a third party and collects air quality data at all times at three stations along its fenceline. “The air monitoring systems being used in Richmond make up the most comprehensive program deployed at a Bay Area refinery to date,” Chevron said on its air monitoring webpage. The Air District did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the claim. The refinery’s current fenceline air monitoring plan was approved by the Air District in June 2025 after Chevron and other local refineries were notified in 2023 that the companies were not in compliance with the Air District’s monitoring requirements. Environmental justice groups say Chevron has not done enough to improve health conditions or build trust with nearby residents. Carrying banners calling for an end to “climate chaos” and the creation of a world free of fossil fuels, community members gathered in Richmond for the 13th annual Anti-Chevron Day on May 17, capping a week of events. Following an opening ceremony led by indigenous leaders, demonstrators marched from Keller Beach to the Richmond refinery in protest of the company’s operations and the health impacts the fossil fuel industry has on people and the broader environment. “This greed is killing a lot of people,” said muralist Raul Gonzalez during an Arts in Resistance panel held as part of the Anti-Chevron week events. Two local environmental groups that were among the 19 organizations sponsoring the event — Asian Pacific Environmental Network and Communities for a Better Environment — also fought for [a 2024 ballot initiative that would have taxed Chevron](https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/06/19/richmond-council-places-chevron-tax-on-november-ballot/) an estimated $60 million to $90 million annually if approved by voters. Their goal was to force Chevron to pay its fair share in taxes and compensate those who may have been harmed by pollution emitted by the refinery, the groups said at the time. Bracing for a day when Chevron ceases operations altogether, they also hoped to create a clean-up plan that would help the city transition away from the fossil fuel industry. [Richmond councilmembers ultimately pulled the measure](https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/08/14/richmond-kills-refinery-tax-ballot-measure-in-exchange-for-550-million-from-chevron/) from the ballot after entering into a 10-year $550 million settlement with Chevron that’s separate from the Air District settlement. In January, the council agreed to spend $300,000 on a consultant to seek public input on how that money should be spent. “No settlement can undo a century of harm to Richmond families, but the $550 million settlement that the grassroots coalition won in 2024 is a real opportunity to build a better future for Richmond,” said Emma Ishii, legislative aid for Asian Pacific Environmental Network. “Richmond can be a model for how communities hold polluters accountable and invest in the just transition our families deserve.” As for Chevron’s settlement with the Air District, Chu said the agency would continue to monitor the refinery for compliance and will pursue air quality improvements through rule development, inspections, permitting, and enforcement. “The Air District expects all regulated facilities to maintain and modernize equipment, minimize flaring and excess emissions and implement operational improvements that reduce impacts to surrounding communities,” Chu said.