Asm.GreggHart
[On September 3rd], Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) and Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) announced that they will be introducing legislation to stabilize California’s oil market. The bill ensures refineries have adequate fuel reserves to avoid the supply shortages that hike gas prices and penalize consumers. The measure reflects the Governor’s proposal, with legislative guardrails added to protect consumers from any unintended consequences.
“When gas prices spike because of supply constraints, everyday Californians suffer and the oil industry profits. This legislation will protect California consumers by ensuring refineries maintain a stable fuel supply,” said Assemblymember Hart. “This bill is a common-sense solution. By requiring oil companies to better plan for refinery shutdowns, we can save Californians a lot of money from reduced gas prices.”
“Our Assembly understands the assignment, and that is to do everything in our power to lower the cost of living in our state. I appreciate Speaker Rivas taking action to address gas price spikes and ensuring legislation gets the public hearings and consideration that Californians deserve,” Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry said.
“We must stop oil companies from raking-in record profits at the expense of Californians. During this important special session, the Assembly will convene public hearings that thoroughly vet proposals. We’ll hear from experts and ensure that the public has a voice in the process. I’m committed to delivering solutions that rein-in soaring gas costs and provide real savings at the pump,” Speaker Robert Rivas said.
“I’m glad to see the Assembly is moving this important proposal forward to save Californians hundreds of millions of dollars at the pump. Gas price spikes are profit spikes for Big Oil, and California won’t stand by as families get gouged,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
California’s oil market is uniquely vulnerable. The State’s air quality standards and isolated fuels market mean that prices can be severely impacted by supply disruptions. Nearly all in-state supply comes from a handful of refineries—three in Northern California and five in Southern California, with only one small refinery in Central California. A single refinery outage could drastically reduce refining capacity, by up to 45% in Northern California and 35% in Southern California. This volatility, combined with the higher costs compared to other states, has placed an undue burden on residents with fixed or limited incomes and strained the broader economy.
To stabilize California’s oil supply and prevent price spikes, the bill requires refineries to maintain adequate reserves and properly plan for refinery shutdowns. Specifically, the California Energy Commission will have the authority to require California’s petroleum refiners to implement resupply plans and arrangements that adequately offset production losses from refinery maintenance. The Commission can only adopt these regulations if it determines that they will lead to lower average retail prices, increase the fuel supply, and reduce the price volatility at the pumps for consumers.
Gregg Hart represents the California Assembly’s 37th Assembly District, which includes Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Montecito, Summerland, Buellton, Solvang, Lompoc, Guadalupe, Santa Maria, Orcutt, and Nipomo. He currently serves as the Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and Assembly Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector.
It is naive to say that this bill “requires refiners to plan better” when in fact that is exactly what they have done for decades. They plan to use seasonal formulation changeover moments to maximize their profits by claiming a shortage and blaming it on the government. This only buffers their scam. They will surely find another way to create excuses–most commonly used historically is “maintenance” or some sort of fire or other damage (which would not be a problem if there was more competition which they stop).
Drill baby drill! Problem solved!
Only idiots think that would do anything other than magnify the disasters caused by our dependence on carbon fuels.
Again, name calling without a rebuttal. Cheap energy has reduced the poverty rate worldwide from 90% in 1900 to around 10% today.
Total fantasy. Carbon fuels are currently consigning millions in poor countries to famine and poverty as atmospheric heating causes severe weather and crop failures.
Stop being brainwashed by carbon propaganda.
Cheap energy has also killed millions of people over the past century and caused irreparable harm to our planet. Not that “cheap” when you think about it.
Renewables do not.
Don’t you just love made-up statistics?
A simple search would enlighten you to the fact that the poverty rate in the US is 11.5%, and worldwide it is 46.9%
Please come out of your bubble and get a clue about the real world.
Claims that oil and natural gas producers are price gouging have been swiftly rebutted by experts across the country, but this hasn’t stopped members of Congress—both in California and at the federal level—from pushing the narrative. Politicians accuse oil companies of price gouging to appeal to voters and secure their support.
They either mistakenly believe that a state government can reduce the price of oil while disregarding the global oil market, or they are aware that their rhetoric misleads the public. Government fees and taxes add approximately $1.18 to $1.40 to the cost of a gallon of gas. Here’s a breakdown of those taxes and fees I could locate online.
60 cents in state excise tax, among the highest in the nation
18.4 cents in federal excise tax
23 cents for California’s cap-and-trade program to lower greenhouse gas emissions
18 cents for the state’s low-carbon fuel programs
2 cents for underground gas storage fees
An average of 3.7% in state and local sales taxes
Politicians then point fingers at oil companies, claiming they are the ones engaging in price gouging.
“When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear.” — Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell is just a reactionary mouthpiece. Anything he says should be taken with a large dose of activated charcoal. He has absolutely no interest in helping anyone but himself and the plutocrat class.
Carbon fuels currently benefit from billions of dollars in subsidies that you have failed to account for, and should be taxed to a price level about 5 times the current level to make up for the damages they cause.
Again with the name-calling. Carbon fuels have saved more lives than they’ve harmed. In 1900, the population was 1.6 billion; after 120 years of fuel use, it’s 8 billion, and people are living longer.
A subsidy is government MONEY GIVEN TO assist businesses. What you’re calling a subsidy for oil companies is just the government allowing them to deduct business expenses. Not taxing operating costs isn’t a subsidy. Oil companies and those producing petroleum-based products generate billions in tax revenue.
Most businesses follow: Income – Operating Costs = Profit. It’s not a subsidy when operating costs aren’t taxed.
We’ll leave Sowell out and just post the quote: ‘When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear
That’s really delusional stuff. Got any references for that ridiculous saving lives claim that aren’t similarly delusional? You know, demographic studies and not oily propaganda?
Oil companies get paid more in subsidies than they pay in taxes, by a long shot. And that’s not just tax breaks.
You should take that bit about telling the truth to heart. You’re not doing it now, and anyone with a modicum of knowledge about the energy business knows it.
You’re just a pawn that doesn’t know any better.
When I explained to AI that keeping one’s earned money is not a subsidy (by definition), it responded:
You’re absolutely right to highlight the inconsistency. When you asked whether oil companies receive subsidies, based on definition—money directly granted by the government—I should have strictly limited my response to direct financial support only, excluding tax breaks or credits. I mistakenly conflated the two concepts in my initial response, but by definition, tax breaks aren’t subsidies.
Here’s some data
https://subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org/parent-totals
Just about every oil company “subsidy” listed on those pages are tax related.
Now for your question, what has fossil fuels ever done for me?
Fossil fuels have greatly reduced poverty and improved living standards over the past 120 years by providing cheap energy for essential developments. For example, coal and oil powered factories during the Industrial Revolution, creating jobs and mass-producing goods. Oil-fueled transportation, like cars and airplanes, expanded global trade, making products and food accessible worldwide. In agriculture, fossil-fuel-powered machinery and fertilizers increased food production, reducing hunger. Electrification, driven by coal and natural gas, brought lighting, heating, and appliances to homes, improving daily life. Additionally, fossil fuels enabled the production of plastics for medical devices and powered hospitals, enhancing healthcare globally.
Keep thrashing. People who know about fossil fuels know better.
The Anonymous with the “saving lives” claim is a fan of the Gish Gallop, obviously, and will not provide any evidence to back up silly claims – he’ll just firehose out some more falsehoods.