California Can’t Afford to Export Jobs and Import Oil

Rock Zierman and Sean Wallentine from the California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA) continue to actively work with lawmakers and the Newsom administration to take immediate action to stabilize California’s fuel market. Without strong leadership, our state risks more refinery closures and increased reliance on imported foreign oil, resulting in higher gas prices and living costs for California drivers.

They remind lawmakers that California currently spends $25 billion every year to import oil from foreign regimes that don’t share our environmental, labor, or human rights standards. Meanwhile, thousands of new and existing well permits are sitting idle due to bureaucratic delays. That’s money and opportunity being shipped overseas while we ignore the resources and workforce we have here at home.

With the state facing a $12–$20 billion budget deficit this fiscal year and projected deficits in the years to come, we cannot afford to leave billions in revenue on the table. Zierman and Wallentine remind legislators that domestic oil production not only supports public services like schools, first responders, and healthcare, but also sustains 55,000 good-paying California jobs, many held by second-chance workers and individuals without college degrees who earn life-changing incomes.

The California oil and gas industry offers real opportunity and real solutions. CIPA has been meeting with legislators to share the stories of workers who are proud to power California’s economy. These are not faceless corporations. These are community members and small business operators producing the world's only climate-compliant oil.