Stop the TransMontaigne Expansion

TransMontaigne wants to expand their operations in the following way:

• Go from 6 train cars per day to 16, an almost 300% increase
• They currently run trucks 24 hours/day, and the number of trucks would need to double or triple
• Transport and store greatly increased quantities of toxic liquids such as ethanol and used cooking oil

In September 2023, TransMontaigne began the permit process to expand their storage facility and run significantly more trains and trucks near Hoffman Blvd & Harbour Way South. They started this process in a very misleading way. Here's a brief overview:

1. TransMontaigne did not notify Marina Bay residents of their plan
2. When asked, they claimed that they had, but this was not true
3. They were finally pressured to reach out, and did a virtual meeting with the Marina Bay Neighborhood Council on July 16, 2024
4. Residents were overwhelming against the expansion, and had many questions and concerns that TransMontaigne was not able to address
5. The City of Richmond Planning Department is now in the process of performing an environment review
6. We need to let the city know that we oppose this expansion due to its negative impact on residents

This expansion in operations for TransMontaige will lead to:

• Increased noise from train & truck horns
• Worse air quality from exhaust, brakes, and tires
• More truck traffic that could negatively impact access to the Richmond Ferry
• Increased need for road maintenance, on roads that are already not well maintained
• Less safe for pedestrians & cyclists on the Bay Trail & Wellness Trail
• More toxic materials being transported
• Decreased water quality from material & waste processing
• Environmental impact on wildlife in the bay

Share your concerns with the city planning department and/or the city council. Contact information is below. And when you send an email, please cc the Marina Bay Neighborhood Council at marinabayneighborhoodcouncil@gmail.com

Avery Stark, Principal Planner

Community Development Department

450 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804

(510) 620-6706

avery_stark@ci.richmond.ca.us

Here is a sample email you can send to the planning department:

Dear Avery Stark and the Richmond City Planning Department,

I am a resident of Richmond, I live in the Marina Bay neighborhood, and I oppose the TransMontaigne expansion. This is a large neighborhood community that is already negatively impacted by truck traffic and train noise. We do not need more of it, and we do not need more toxic chemicals being transported near where our families live and our children play. Richmond already has air quality issues - more trucks and chemical transport will increase pollution for everyone. For the sake of our health and wellbeing, I respectfully request that the city of Richmond deny the permit for this industrial expansion.

Thank you for your consideration.

Here are some links where you can learn more about this issue:

• TransMontaigne Conditional Use Permit Application, submitted September 2023
• Planning Commission Minutes from June 20, 2024 (see page 5)
• Letter from the Marina Bay Neighborhood Council, sent to the Planning Department on July 17, 2024
• TransMontaige website