California Reverses Course on Fossil Fuels as Refinery Shutdowns Endanger the State’s Gasoline Supply

California reverses course on fossil fuels as refinery shutdowns endanger the state’s gasoline supply

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, facing the planned closure of two major oil refineries, is courting drillers and postponing profit caps to keep gasoline flowing and prices in check.Alex Nieves reports for POLITICO.In short:Phillips 66 will close its Los Angeles–area refinery in late 2025 and Valero will shutter its Bay Area plant in 2026, eliminating about one-fifth of California’s gasoline refining capacity.Newsom, who once championed a profits c…

Newsom Reverses Course, Pushes Oil Drilling in California

California governor Gavin Newsom, who spent years advancing aggressive climate policies that one oil executive said made California “uninvestable,” is now pushing to expand oil drilling as the state faces a looming fuel shortage. With Phillips 66 and Valero set to shut down refineries that account for 20 percent of California’s gasoline production, Newsom’s administration is exploring incentives to boost in-state oil output, including a draft bi…