Chevron Refinery Residents Face Elevated Cancer Risk: Air District Report
Residents of Richmond, California, are seeking clarity on a recent report that found they face an elevated risk of cancer and other illnesses due to living near the Chevron refinery. The Bay Area Air District released the preliminary health risk assessment in August, which showed that people living close to the facility have a higher chance of developing cancer over their lifetime.
The model analysis examined the highest cancer risk posed by exposure to facility emissions and found it to be 37 chances in a million, exceeding the regulator's threshold for action. The Air District requires facilities to take action to reduce the risk if it equals or exceeds 10 in a million.
At a public hearing, Richmond City Council member Sue Wilson asked air officials to clarify what the report means for her constituents, but was met with technical explanations of the study's limits. Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, health officer for the Air District, compared the risk to the chance of dying in a motor vehicle accident.
Chevron spokesperson Caitlin Powell said the company plans to provide technical comments and updated information to the air district, but acknowledged that additional data may increase or decrease the final risk assessment.