The Democrats who have long ruled California have turned the state into the most expensive place to live thanks to their insane regulations and attacks on corporations.
One of the most persecuted of all industries in the Golden State is the fossil fuel industry, as Democrats led by Gov. Gavin Newsom continue to push their pipe dream of a carbon-free world. But with each new wave of costly regulations aimed at ‘curbing emissions’ in deference to ‘climate change,’ Dems put more downward economic pressure on state residents in the form of higher energy and fuel prices.
Now, as gas prices once again skyrocket thanks in part to Joe Biden’s anti-fossil fuel policies, Democrats in California are demanding to know why, and in response, they got hit with truth bombs from one of the country’s biggest energy producers.
“Here are the facts: Crude oil prices are DOWN. And yet…gas prices are up. That’s because greedy oil companies are ripping you off,” Newsom tweeted on Thursday, adding that he planned to tax the oil companies more in response. “They are raking in record profits at your expense. I’m calling for a new tax on these corrupt oil companies to put money back in your pocket.”
Mind you, more taxes mean higher gas prices — so Newsom’s policy would, again, harm residents of his state the most, though he doesn’t care because he’s a multimillionaire. He’ll just blame oil companies again for his policy.
Meanwhile, another anti-fossil fuel leftist, California Department of Energy Chair David Hochschild, demanded answers from the industry, as well. “Last week I asked the oil industry for answers about the recent gas price spike placing an unacceptable burden on Californians. Maintenance alone cannot explain a sudden $1.54 increase in what refineries charge for every gallon of gas,” he tweeted.
Last week I asked the oil industry for answers about the recent gas price spike placing an unacceptable burden on Californians
Maintenance alone cannot explain a sudden $1.54 increase in what refineries charge for every gallon of gas
My full statement ➡️ https://t.co/Z5IXvKgySa pic.twitter.com/jytPr7vXQj
— David Hochschild (@ChairHochschild) October 6, 2022
With just a day to spare, Texas-based Valero Energy laid out several reasons why gas prices are spiking in California. Most have to do with harmful Democratic policies that drive up energy prices.
NEW: VALERO responds to California’s demand for answers recent gas price spike.
“As demanded with one business day to respond…”
“California is the most challenging market to serve in the United States for several reasons.” pic.twitter.com/r2T2UQleme
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) October 8, 2022
“For Valero, California is the most expensive operating environment in the country and a very hostile regulatory environment for refining,” Scott Folwarkow, Vice President of State Government Affairs wrote in the letter.
“California policy makers have knowingly adopted policies with the expressed intent of eliminating the refinery sector. California requires refiners to pay very high carbon cap and trade fees and burdened gasoline with cost of the low carbon fuel standards,” Folwarkow noted further.
“With the backdrop of these policies, not surprisingly, California has seen refineries completely close or shut down major units. When you shut down refinery operations, you limit the resilience of the supply chain,” he added.
“From the perspective of a refiner and fuel supplier, California is the most challenging market to serve in the United States for several reasons,” he wrote. “California has imposed some of the most aggressive, and thus expensive and limiting, environmental regulatory requirements in the world. California policies have made it difficult to increase refining capacity and have prevented supply projects to lower operating costs of refineries.”
He then issued California Democrats a warning.
“We believe the Commission experts understand that California cannot mandate a unique fuel that is not readily available outside of the West Coast and then burden or eliminate California refining capacity and expect to have robust fuel supplies,” Folwarkow wrote. “Adding further costs, in the form of new taxes or regulatory constraints, will only further strain the fuel market and adversely impact refiners and ultimately those costs will pass to California consumers.”
