Richmond coal exports to end by 2026; EJ advocates celebrate agreement

The days of coal passing through the port of Richmond, California, are numbered thanks to a settlement of federal and state lawsuits. The settlement gives the Levin-Richmond Terminal until Dec. 31, 2026, to end storage and handling of coal and pet coke. Richmond's City Council voted in 2020 to phase out these toxic commodities, allowing Levin-Richmond three years to comply. Fossil fuel interests responded by filing five lawsuits, claiming Richmond’s coal ban violated the U.S Constitution and other laws. In settling, the fossil fuel plaintiffs dropped their fight against the ban in exchange for a delay in its enforcement. In the meantime, they ...