March 13, 2022 - Last week, Congressman Kevin McCarthy sent a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom urging him to take immediate steps to undo his anti-oil and natural gas policies in order to increase production of California energy resources to help stabilize prices at the pump and reduce California’s importation of Russian crude oil.
You can read the letter in its entirety here or excerpts below:
“Your Administration has the ability to harness California’s vast energy resources to help our state and country achieve energy independence, and I implore you to reverse policies you have advanced that harm California-based oil and natural gas producers’ ability to meet our nation’s energy needs and strengthen our national security.
“I have urged the Biden Administration to reassess its current anti-energy stance...Yet, thus far, the Biden Administration foolishly insists on limiting itself – to the chagrin of California families facing average prices above $5 per gallon – from using its full range of powers to help Americans feeling the pain at the gas pump.
“This is why I implore you to take the lead in bringing needed relief to Californians and Americans across the country by reconsidering California’s current oil and natural gas posture, which has crippled this industry in California, so we can increase domestic energy supplies... “Your Administration can do something immediately to start this process – there are more than 1,000 pending permits for new oil and natural gas wells sitting on the desk of your State Oil and Gas Supervisor that can be approved today. Allowing these producers to responsibly develop our God-given resources, consistent with state laws and regulations, will only help California consumers and reduce any need for imported Russian oil...
“As Russia continues to attack Ukraine, it is critical that we actively work to replace Russian oil imports – which total about 6.17% of California’s total oil imports[1] – with cleaner American energy that can be produced right here in California by Californians.”
Source: Congressman Kevin McCarthy
