Two refineries are set to close shop by next year... Phillip 66 by end of 2025 and Valero (which provide 20% of refinery capacity in CA) by early 2026.
Now, Democrat law makers are scrambling because they know this will be a political nightmare if gas price shot up because they'll be held responsible for it. They held a hearing in Sac to discuss with CEO of CARB (CA Air Resource Board) Leanne Randolp, Vice-Chair of CEC (CA Energy Commission) Siva Gunda and Tai Milder, leader of the state's new division of petroleum market oversight on why refineries are leaving CA and how this will affect gas and energy prices.
These regulators blamed the refinery companies claiming they have been rich by gouging Californians. However, a lawmaker question the validity of this argument saying that if these refineries are making banks, why are they closing? Why risk losing all those profit by closing? She also says that if demands increased while supply is decrease, there will be price spike at the pump.
Gunda confirmed with the other two that when these refineries closed and supply decrease, CA will need to import more oil from other countries and these will arrive by ship plus potential for Californians to pay more at the pump than around the country (it's not like they don't already do).
All of this is a direct result of Newsom and his cronies passing regulations against refineries, oil, etc etc... remember their "No ICE vehicle will be selling in CA by 2035"?
It's so bad that even some Democrat lawmakers are signaling they have lost trust in these state regulators...