Governor Gavin Newsom’sclean energy pactis getting torched as just another failure when it comes to California policy that has already driven serious business out of the state.
The memorandum of understanding, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom and U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband Monday, pledges collaboration to tackle climate change and invests nearly a billion dollars in California projects focused on clean tech from UK’s leading energy company, Octopus.
“What a genius idea that is, the UK with the highest electricity prices pretty much in the world teaming up with California the highest electricity prices anywhere in America apart from Hawaii to do more of the insanity of offshore wind that is planned already to destroy our beautiful coastline in California,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton said in a video posted to social media.
Hilton also criticized the Democratic presidential hopeful for “spewing out carbon emissions,” while touting clean energy policies.
“We are so sick of Newsom endlessly flying around the world lecturing everyone about climate change while spewing out carbon emissions, all while his insane climate policies give us the highest gas prices in America and the highest electric bills after Hawaii,” Hilton told The California Post.
When asked for for a comment, Izzy Gardon, director of communications for Newsom, simply replied, “Who is Steve Hilton?”
Dr. Wayne Winegarden, a senior research fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, applauded the goal of reaching net-zero admissions, but underscored that it has to come withoutraising prices— a formula, California seems to have yet to figure out.
“Over the last eight years it hasdefinitely gotten worse,” Winegarden said, pointing to the weight of regulations driving refineries out the state, including low carbon fuel standards and inventory requirements.
Valero’s refinery in Benicia is phasing out operations and will close in early 2026, while Phillips 66 shuttered its fuel production in 2025. The two closures leave 8 operating oil refineries that produce transportation fuel in a state the consumes the most behind Texas, according to theCalifornia Air Resources Board.
In light ofValero’s announcement to close its doorsin Northern California, Newsom highlighted several laws he signed to combat rising fuel prices, including efforts to boost oil production in Kern County, as well as granting the California Energy Commission (CEC) regulatory and data transparency tools to ensure a stable, affordable fuel supply during the state’s transition away from petroleum-based transportation.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
