Early this past Saturday morning, I woke up with my heart racing, wondering why so many people had to die in the horrific, climate-fueled flooding in Texas last Friday. And why so many more will suffer from the cruel, big, ugly bill signed into law by the president over the weekend — a bill that drastically cuts federal funding for everything from food and health benefits to clean energy, disaster preparedness, and worker protections — all to transfer yet more wealth to billionaires.
These extremes in weather and politics are hitting home here in California as well, driven by Big Oil’s greed and lies.
The oil and gas industry is now using pending refinery closures as an excuse to gut environmental protections. They’re also attempting to leave working Californians to deal with the clean-up costs. For years, oil executives have cut corners at their aging refineries, leading to explosions and fires. They have also gouged Californians at the pump and paid out billions of dollars to shareholders. Meanwhile, California lawmakers are retreating from bold climate policies in this heated environment.
Instead, Big Oil should be making investments to protect workers and communities from explosions and fires. And California should be implementing a clean energy transition plan to end fossil fuel corporations’ greed and pollution.
On June 27, Siva Gunda, Vice Chair of the California Energy Commission, sent a letter to Governor Newsom about how California must manage the transition away from polluting transportation fuels and toward clean energy. He called for developing a “holistic transportation fuels transition strategy,” including policies to ensure environmental, public health, labor, economic, and consumer protections. We at The Climate Center couldn’t agree more!
Vice Chair Gunda’s recommendations come at a critical moment. Across the country, refineries are closing as petroleum refiners face rising operating costs, decreasing demand for their products, and competition from newer, more efficient mega-refineries in other countries.
Californians need action now to appropriately phase out fossil fuel refineries — before there are more deadly accidents and deceptive oil industry tricks. That’s why we’re hosting a webinar on July 31 to discuss how California policymakers can create a transition plan that benefits workers, communities, and the climate. Register here — I hope to see you then!
This blog first appeared in The Climate Center’s bi-weekly newsletter. To keep up with the latest climate news and ways to take action for a climate-safe future, subscribe today!
