50,000 barrels a day of oil are now flowing from a once-shuttered oil operation offshore from Santa Barbara, California. That’s due to an executive order President Trump signed in March. But it’s not enough to solve California’s broader energy crisis. For decades, California leaders have demonized the oil industry while sitting on some of the richest reserves in the U.S. Now, the chickens have come home to roost and there are serious shortages. So the state finds itself in an ironic position — having to alter its long-standing push to drive fossil fuel companies out.
The following is a transcript of a report from “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson.”Watch the video by clicking the link at the end of the page.
Years of aggressive green policies have chased oil producers out of California. Now, the state is in crisis: importing record amounts of foreign oil and grappling with escalating fuel prices.
Sharyl: Does California have a lot of oil?
Rock Zierman: There’s a ton of oil. Some of the most prolific oil reserves in the world. We’ve been at it for 140 years, and we’ve only gotten a small percentage of he crudes out there. We know where the crude is, we know how to get it. We just can’t get permission to go get it.
Rock Zierman heads up the California Independent Petroleum Association.
Zierman: The state has a stated policy that by 2045, all fossil fuel producing companies are gonna be out of business in California.
Sharyl: Meaning they won’t be allowed to operate?
Zierman: Won’t be allowed to operate, even though we’ll continue to consume fossil fuels, even in 2045 when the state hopes were carbon neutral.
Sharyl: So in part, at least it’s the green agenda that’s chasing these oil companies out?
Source: Sharyl Attkisson
