Chevron draws criticism after petroleum leak fouls water near Richmond refinery

Cleanup efforts were in progress Wednesday near the Chevron refinery long wharf in Richmond where a petroleum product leak that began Tuesday afternoon spilled an estimated five gallons a minute into the Bay.

Following criticism from elected officials and an environmental group, a team of county, state and federal officials joined with Chevron to take over the cleanup. The unified command consists of officials from Contra Costa Health Services, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response and the U.S. Coast Guard along with Chevron.