California has long been America’s trendsetter. But even as the nation becomes energy self-sufficient, California is now leading the way in sacrificing its economy on the altar of radical climate change ideology.
Once a leading oil producer, the state nowimportsroughly 75% of its crude. Last year, about athirdof California’s energy imports came from the Middle East, up22%from 2024.
California is moving counter to one of this century’s most important economic and national security developments: the return of American energy independence. A major energy importer as recently as2005, the U.S. is now an energy exportpowerhouse. The United States now produces the most oil and gas in the world – roughly 40 percent more per year than either Russia (number 2) or Saudi Arabia (number 3).
The U.S. has ridden theshale revolutionand pro-energy policies to become the world’stop producerof oil and natural gas. The dramatic increase in domestic oil and gas supply has kept a lid on consumer inflation, aseverythingfrom lipstick and shampoo to swimsuits and household cleaners is made with petroleum products.
Affordable energy saved U.S. consumers $800 billion annually from 2011 to 2024,according toenergy research consultants Thunder Said Energy (TSE). Even with the recent run-up in gas prices, Americans are still paying more than a dollarlessper gallon at the pump than they were in 2011 and 2012 after adjusting for inflation.
Energy dominance has largelyinsulatedthe American economy from the direct fallout of the Iran conflict.
The Iran war has caused a greater energy price spike in the Golden State than in any other. Gas is hovering close to$6 a gallon, about $2 higher than the national average. Diesel hassurgedto a record $7.75 a gallon, and jet fuel prices in Los Angeles, a major airline hub, havejumpednearly 50%.
California’s energy squeeze is no accident. It’s the predictable outcome of anti-energy policies that have hollowed out the state’s refining capacity and throttled production.
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Start with distribution and refining costs, which make upalmost 30%of the cost of a gallon of gas. California’s aggressive climate policies have causedone-fifthof the state’s refining capacity to vanish. In the past two years alone, Valero and Phillips 66 have shuttered their operations.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
