WSPA

CARB doesn't have to care what Californians think. Change the law to put affordability concerns ahead of greenhouse gas reduction and bullet train funding.

New: Several California Assembly Democrats urge CARB to go back to drawing board on cap & invest proposal for fuels, gas and electricity. “It is now evident that California’s regulatory environment has driven out actors necessary for an affordable energy consumer market.”

We are urging California policymakers to revise proposed energy policy changes, which threaten to: → Raise energy costs → Cut jobs → Strain energy reliability Read the letter and take action on the issue: chevron.co/x-CA-energy-po…

New: Marathon sends letter to California leaders, warning upcoming vote by state regulators could push more oil refineries to shut down. “If refineries are driven out of the state, these jobs, tax revenues and economic benefits will be lost and cannot be easily replaced.”

California has the highest gas prices in the nation. That’s not inevitable - it’s policy. We should be building energy resilience and independence, not leaving Californians exposed to global shocks. Average gas price today:
CA: $5.20
U.S.: $3.48

On May 28th, the CA Air Resources Board is intentionally going to make this worse with adoption of their costly, highly controversial cap and invest regulations.

California refineries refining California crude is keeping the state from a bad situation.

NEW: Chevron sent a letter to Gov. @GavinNewsom @CAgovernor and leaders of the legislature, CA Air Resources Board, and CA Energy Commission, expressing concerns over CA @AirResources Board’s proposed Cap-and-Invest regulation, arguing it could significantly increase costs on refiners in California. In short, Cap-and-Invest is a climate policy that sets a limit (CAP) on the total pollution allowed in the state. It basically forces large polluters to pay for their emissions, with the money generated going toward clean energy and community projects (INVEST). Supporters say the program is crucial to protect the environment, reduce pollution, and work toward a sustainable future. But oil and energy companies are concerned the program’s new proposed regulations will increase costs on refiners and hurt the state’s energy economy. In the letter, Andy Walz, Chevron’s president of downstream, midstream, and chemicals wrote “the proposed regulation will cripple the survivability of the state’s remaining refineries.” In previous one-on-one interviews I conducted with Walz, he expressed concerns about the future of oil companies in California. He concludes the letter, warning the proposed regulation “will cause irreversible harm to California’s economy and energy security and broader vital American interests.” Reaching out to CA Governor’s for a response.

The news is everywhere: global unrest is impacting the nation’s gasoline supply and driving up energy prices. @BorensteinS pointed out over the weekend that “every dollar per barrel increase in the price of oil feeds through 2-and-half-cent per gallon.” That’s a significant increase for the average consumer, but it pales in comparison to the costs California drivers pay compared to the rest of the country. That’s because our state’s policymakers continue to put up roadblocks to in-state crude production and refining, and we already pay an additional $1.30 per gallon in higher taxes and the cost of environmental mandates. All these policies increase energy costs for consumers - no matter what’s happening in the Middle East. If we’re worried about an oil supply disruption, then we need to acknowledge how California’s policies have made us more vulnerable. A 25-cent increase is only a fraction of the $1.30/gallon Californians are required to regularly spend.  We update every month these facts and the next one will be posted soon. Bookmark this page: wspa.org/resource-hub/

California is vulnerable to global events like these because leaders have chosen policies that drive CA refining and production out instead of depending on in-state energy. We can protect consumers from disruptions if we allow Californians to produce and refine oil here at home instead of increasingly relying on imports. The state must protect its remaining infrastructure or become more vulnerable to global uncertainty.

The conflict in the Middle East highlights the danger of relying on imports to meet our energy needs. California has the resources to power our economy - but politicians made a choice to drive refineries out and leave crude in the ground. Now drivers are facing the consequences.

This week in the State Senate Environmental Quality Committee, I sounded the alarm — again. California’s energy policies are driving reliable supply out and prices up. CA is at a breaking point. We must stop phasing out dependable fuel sources before real, affordable replacements are ready. Families can’t afford these costly mistakes.

California sees huge benefits from in-state refining - thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue. Relying entirely on imports to meet our energy needs sends those benefits out of state, while transporting fuel increases emissions and adds costs.

Congrats to Ahmad, a 2025 SEFF Scholarship winner! 🎓He’s at @ucdavis studying civil engineering, inspired by growing up in a rural community and wanting to improve the places people call home. Meet Ahmad: sharedenergy.org/news/ahmad

From @NoahBaustin: “While California regulators have seen a bright side to increasing gasoline imports to the state … the layoffs underline the fact that the state’s refinery closures eliminate working-class jobs.” subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

⏳ Final 10 days approaching! Don’t miss your chance to apply for SEFF’s STEM & trade school scholarships. Deadline: Feb 13, 2026 🔗 sharedenergy.org/scholarships/

CA’s demand for gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel is not going away, yet in-state supply continues to shrink. You can’t meet steady demand with unstable supply.  Relying on an import-only strategy means more risk and potentially higher prices at the pump.

@WSPAPrez is calling on policymakers to step up and enact meaningful policy change that supports the energy needs of everyday Californians. We need real solutions to address CA’s energy affordability crisis ⚡

Gas prices are relatively low in California despite fears that state policies would make them significantly more expensive this year. "We've been very lucky there haven't been any disruptions" said @OfficialWSPA's CEO Jodie Muller. "It won't last." kcra.com/article/califo…

"The state failed to save Valero." New @OfficialWSPA CEO Jodie Muller says California will be in a risky situation with another refinery closure. "Demand [for gasoline] is not going down," Muller said. kcra.com/article/califo…