XPost: rec.food.cooking, alt.home.repair, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   XPost: alt.conspiracy, alt.california   
   From: robberbaron@invalid.ut   
      
   https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/energy/gov-newsom-claims   
   big-oil-blame-high-gas-prices-new-report-blames-climate   
      
      
   Article   
   Dig Deeper   
   California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has continuously denied that the   
   state’s policies have anything to do with sky-high gas prices the   
   state's residents pay, arguing that it’s “Big Oil” driving up gasoline   
   prices. But a new study shows policies have added as much as $1.91 per   
   gallon to what Californians pay at the pump.   
      
   According to AAA, Americans on Saturday were paying on average $3.177 a   
   gallon for gasoline. Californians were paying $4.676 per gallon on   
   average. The gap can vary. A year ago, the average national price was   
   $3.814 per gallon, while Californians were paying $6.059 per gallon.   
      
   According to the Energy Policy Research Foundation analysis by   
   researcher Max Pyziur, California has several policies impacting   
   gasoline prices that are entirely unique to the state.   
      
   In the 1960s, California began targeting gasoline formulations, which   
   created blend requirements exceeding those of the EPA. According to the   
   fondation analysis, this requirement alone adds 16 cents a gallon to the   
   price of California gas on average.   
      
   The blended gasoline, called California Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock   
   for Oxygenate Blending (CARBOB), is only available from in-state   
   refiners. The California Energy Commission put together a report in   
   August warning that the state’s remaining refineries will close as a   
   result of the commission’s projected decline in demand for gasoline as a   
   result of electric vehicle adoption, which the state is mandating.   
      
   The report proposed the state purchase and operate its own refineries,   
   but it also proposed the state develop relationships with out-of-state   
   suppliers to ship CARBOB into the state to secure a reliable supply of   
   California gas.   
      
   The foundation report pointed to two other environmental policies   
   driving up gas prices in California. The first is California’s Cap and   
   Trade program, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide.   
   The state caps emissions, and the caps have steadily increased since the   
   program was first enacted in 2006. Major emitters have to obtain   
   allowances for every ton of greenhouse gasses they emit, and companies   
   buy and sell these allowances on a market.   
      
   The second policy driving up California’s gas prices is the state's Low   
   Carbon Fuel Standard, enacted in 2011. The standard targets the carbon   
   intensity of transportation fuels, which includes gasoline. And like the   
   Cap and Trade program, the standard grew more stringent over time.   
   Combined, the two policies, according to the foundation, increased gas   
   prices by 10 cents a gallon in 2004. By 2024, the additional cost was 52   
   cents per gallon.   
      
   On top of the policies is California’s excise tax, which was 18 cents   
   per gallon in 2000. That increased to 58 cents per gallon in 2024.   
      
   The foundation report states the premium Californians pay for their   
   climate-friendlier gasoline prices over that of the average American was   
   $1 during 2022 and 2023. Its peak was $1.91 per gallon on Oct. 3, 2022.   
   This year, it has hovered around 90 cents per gallon.   
      
   Newsom has responded to the state’s high gasoline prices by arguing that   
   oil companies are bad actors and need further regulation.   
      
   He set out to hold them accountable for alleged price gouging with an   
   anti-price gouging law. He also proposed a law that would require   
   refineries to store a certain amount of product to stave off any price   
   spikes resulting from drops in supply. The California legislature has   
   been reluctant to rapidly pass the bill, and the governors of Arizona   
   and Nevada signed a letter warning California the law would result in   
   supply shortages and increased gasoline prices.   
      
   Refineries and oil and companies have responded to the state's   
   regulations by doing less business in the state. The number of   
   refineries went from 43 in 1982 to just 14 this year. Chevron announced   
   in August it was moving its headquarters to Houston from San Ramon,   
   California.   
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