A refining company proceeding with its plans to idle its gasoline refinery in California announced Tuesday it will help out California consumers by importing gasoline, which will help shore up the state’s dwindling supply. [some emphasis, links added]
After the announcement, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom took credit for his leadership in working with the company to ensure fuel supplies, departing from his rhetoric a few years ago when he claimed to have successfully fought the state’s oil industry and won.
“While others point fingers to spread fear and divide us, California is doing the actual work — collaborating with industry, using data and transparency to protect consumers, and building the all-of-the-above energy future America needs,” Newsom said in a statement Tuesday.
Collaborating with industry he formerly demonized
Valero provided an update on Tuesday on its plans to cease operations at a refinery in Benicia, California, explaining that the closure is proceeding as planned and will be complete by April.
The facility will continue producing gasoline for California drivers until April, after which the company will import gasoline, the announcement said.
The governor went on to say he will continue “working closely” with Valero while California completes its “ongoing energy transition.”
Over the past several years, Newsom took a much more hostile stance toward the state’s oil industry. Tim Stewart, president of the U.S. Oil and Gas Association, told Just the News that Newsom played a big role in creating the problems he’s now claiming to be solving.
“Governor Newson trumpeting his leadership is like the captain of a sinking ship taking credit for handing out life jackets after he’s crashed the ferry on the rocks. It was the lack of leadership on energy policy that got California to this point, and ultimately the White House may have to intervene to mitigate further damage from the governor’s leadership on this issue,” Stewart said.
Laws against price gouging, but no price gouging found
When California’s gasoline prices spiked in the summer of 2022, Newsom claimed refineries were “price gouging,” even though his own energy officials disputed the claim.
Newsom ignored the experts and instead signed legislation against the price gouging he insisted was happening.
“With this legislation, we’re ending the oil industry’s days of operating in the shadows. California took on Big Oil and won,” Newsom declared in March 2023.
The legislation required oil companies to be transparent about how much money they’re making from their products. Companies spent the money to comply with the law, but no price gouging was ever uncovered.
A year later, the industry that Newsom fought so hard against began to reconsider its investments in California. In August 2024, Chevron moved its headquarters to Texas.
But Newsom wasn’t finished with his fight against “Big Oil.”
In October 2024, he signed a law that requires refineries to maintain a certain amount of product so that when supplies are low, California residents don’t get hit with price spikes at the pump.
Read rest at Just The News
California has a boutique blend of gasoline very specific to California. Hard to make. If it would ease up and match the rest of the U. S. Or the world, would have unlimited and cheaper supply of gasoline available. Then it would only be more expensive because of all the additional taxes.