Democrat lawmakers in California are suddenly scrambling to contain a gas price crisis — one that critics say is the direct result of their own failed policies and relentless war on American energy.
During a heated Wednesday hearing, members of the California Committee on Utilities and Energy grilled state regulators about the looming shutdown of two major oil refineries.
The closures, which could cause gas prices to skyrocket by up to 75%, come after years of Democrat-led attacks on fossil fuel producers in the state.
“I know what climate leadership does not look like, and that is $10 gas,” declared Democrat Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, confronting regulators with the devastating reality that ordinary Californians may soon face at the pump.
As oil refiners plan to close, California Democratic lawmakers signal they’ve lost trust in state regulators in Gov. Newsom’s administration.
CA will need more oil to be shipped in from other countries, meaning more air pollution, tighter fuels market, and higher gas prices. pic.twitter.com/NNqJa0sNRO
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) May 29, 2025
California already has the highest average gas prices in the nation, according to AAA — and it’s no mystery why.
State lawmakers, backed by Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom, have empowered regulators to impose a gauntlet of crushing rules on energy producers.
Those rules include new storage and maintenance mandates and an ever-expanding web of climate policies.
Refineries are retreating due to the weight of the green agenda policies.
Phillips 66 and Valero have both announced plans to close their facilities in the state this year, together accounting for roughly 20% of California’s total refining capacity.
No new major refinery has been built in California since 1969.
And with the state’s punishing cap-and-trade program, excessive taxes, and unrealistic low-carbon fuel standards, it’s no wonder the energy industry is fleeing.
“We have a crisis on our hands that may have been self-created by the actions, perhaps taken by the state, by regulators,” Democrat Assemblyman David Alvarez admitted.
He later pressed regulators, asking, “I think I also heard you say that another closure can lead to a significant increase in costs to consumers on the price of gas?”
Despite the outcry, regulators floated the idea of greater state control of the refining sector.
They even hinted at de facto state-run refineries, as if government mismanagement hasn’t already made things worse.
Ironically, Newsom now claims to want to keep refineries open.
However, his policies have done the opposite.
The California Legislature, dominated by Democrats, has been a willing accomplice.
State lawmakers have been handing over sweeping power to agencies that are focused more on appeasing green activists than protecting consumers.
Incredibly, Newsom’s office still boasts about his so-called “gas price gouging law,” claiming it prevented spikes like those in 2022.
In reality, the state has become more opaque, more hostile to energy producers, and more expensive for families — all while claiming to hold “Big Oil” accountable.
The hearing made one thing clear: California’s energy crisis isn’t some fluke.
It’s a direct result of deliberate policy decisions by Democrat leaders who have prioritized radical climate goals over the economic well-being of working people.
Under President Donald Trump, America was energy dominant, refineries thrived, and gas was affordable.
In California under Democrat control, energy independence is out the window, and the state is staring down the barrel of $10 gas — all thanks to the same people now pretending to be surprised.
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