News Releases

California’s For-Profit Utilities Bankroll “Wildfire Victims First” Front Group to Push Utility Bailout

July 28, 2026  ·  Carmen Balber

Consumer Watchdog analysis finds 66% of coalition organizations received utility money while utilities bankroll campaign to escape accountability for catastrophic wildfires Sacramento, CA — Consumer Watchdog today...

Today: ALEC To Vote On Big Oil Immunity Bill Disguised As “Consumer Protection”

July 23, 2026  ·  Alexandra Nagy

Fossil-fuel-backed group’s proposal would bar consumers, communities and states from holding oil companies accountable for climate deception Washington, D.C. — The fossil-fuel-linked American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)...

Consumer Alert Warns Gov. Newsom Against 11th Hour Plan to Bail Out Utilities for Fires They Cause; Exposes Ads from Utility Front Group Targeting Politicians  

July 22, 2026  ·  Carmen Balber

Sacramento, CA – A new Consumer Alert video (opens in new tab) from Consumer Watchdog exposes a new ad campaign by the phony “Wildfire Victims First” group as...

New Data Shows CA Oil Refiner Profits Top $1.29 Per Gallon In May; Price gouging Penalty Would Have Returned $611 Million To CA Drivers In 2026 Had It Been Implemented

July 16, 2026  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA —  Oil refiners profits data just released (opens in new tab) by the California Energy Commission (CEC) shows that California oil refiners made banner profits in May,...

Data Shows Wartime Price Gouging At Pump In CA Rampant, Supports Need For Legislation To Add “War” Under Anti-Price Gouging Laws

June 29, 2026  ·  Jamie Court

Los Angeles, CA — An analysis of US Energy Information Administration data finds that since the start of the war with Iran at the beginning of March...

California Oil Refiners’ Profit Margins Explode in April To $1.24 Per Gallon

June 17, 2026  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA – California oil refiners reported gross profits margins of $1.24 per gallon in April based on new data (opens in new tab)released by the California...

Watchdog Warns of Continued Gasoline Price Spikes Without Promised Energy Commission Rules

June 3, 2026  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA – Consumer President Jamie Court warned the Senate Energy, Utilities and Commerce Committee today that without long-promised oil refinery regulations California would continue to...

Watchdog To Newsom: Don’t Help Chevron Get Richer, Pull Back CARB Rules

May 27, 2026  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA – Consumer Watchdog urged Governor Newsom to pull back a Thursday vote on new rules for cap-and-trade that will hand a $2 billion windfall to Chevron...

Oil Permits Surge In First Q 2026 With Majority For Dangerous Extraction Techniques; Watchdogs Warn New State Drilling Law Unfair

May 27, 2026  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA –California oil permitting surged dramatically in the first quarter of 2026 with 154 of 190 permits to drill new wells authorizing dangerous oil...

Assembly Kills Landmark Legislation Requiring Independent Audits of Utility Wildfire Spending, Slap In Face to Wildfire Survivors As Utilities Seek Bailout Worth Billions

May 14, 2026  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA – The California Assembly Appropriations Committee failed to advance Assembly Bill 1774 (Boerner), which requires independent audits of Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) spending before...

Wildfire Survivors, Consumer Groups, Insurers, Public Entities Oppose Limits on Survivors’ Rights At Hearings In CA Capitol On CEA SB 254 Report  

May 12, 2026  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA  —  Survivors of the worst fires in California history will be speaking out against limits on their rights to recover damages from for-profit utilities that...

CA Oil Refiners’ Margins Top $1 Per Gallon In March, $1.11 For Chevron, Trending Upward; Validating Need for Three Year Old CEC Rules on Resupply and Minimum Inventories

May 7, 2026  ·  Jamie Court

Los Angeles, CA – New data released (opens in new tab) by the California Energy Commission (CEC) shows California refining margins skyrocketing to $1 per gallon in March...