Richmond makes Chevron pay through a settlement, rather than a tax. On August 14, the Richmond City Council voted unanimously to approve a $550 million settlement with Chevron, to be paid out over the next ten years.

Back on June 18, Richmond City Council had voted to put an excise tax targeting Chevron’s Richmond Refinery on the November ballot. If the Polluters Pay Initiative had passed—which seemed likely—it would have added $60 to $90 million per year to the city’s General Fund. Two grassroots groups, Asian-Pacific Environmental Network Action and Communities for a Better Environment Action, spearheaded the Make Polluters Pay campaign.

The settlement calls for $50 million to be paid to Richmond per year for the first five years, rising to $60 million per year for the next five years. In exchange, the council has voted to remove the tax initiative from the ballot. Read the details in this article from the Richmond Progressive Alliance.

Now, the campaign to make polluters pay will focus on making sure these funds are used to address the harms Chevron has caused and meet immediate needs of frontline communities—and to invest in a just transition that builds a future beyond oil for Richmond.