California’s Aviation Fuel Crisis Raises Alarms Over National Security

California is facing what state officials are calling an “aviation fuel crisis,” driven by declining in-state oil production and the closure of key refineries. At a recent Kern County Board of Supervisors meeting, Assemblymember Stan Ellis warned that state energy policies have created an overreliance on imported jet fuel. Asm. Ellis stated it would pose both economic and national security risks.

Aviation News wrote last week that Asm. Ellis noted that California now imports roughly one million barrels of oil daily, with around 20 percent of its jet fuel, gasoline, and diesel coming from India, where nearly 40 percent of the crude oil originates from Russia. He cautioned that the state’s diminishing refining capacity threatens U.S. military readiness, as bases such as Travis Air Force Base and China Lake depend almost entirely on California refineries for aviation fuel. “If our defenses can’t fly when needed and we only have a three-day fuel supply—we’re in bad shape,” Asm. Ellis said.

In response, the Kern County Board unanimously backed a white paper titled “California Energy and Fuel Policies: A Clear and Present Threat to National Security and Force Readiness,” calling for federal intervention and a review of state refinery regulations. The county is also seeking federal recognition as a natural resource development zone to bolster domestic energy production.

Asm. Ellis urges policymakers to ease regulatory barriers on oil and gas producers, arguing that restoring refinery operations and stabilizing supply chains are essential to maintaining the state’s and the nation’s aviation fuel security.