News Releases

Oil Drilling Permit Approvals Cratered In 2023; Plummeting Production Calls for Plugging Idle Wells, Chevron Wells Produce Only 3 Barrels of Oil Per Day 

January 30, 2024  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA—California oil regulators issued 95% fewer permits to drill new wells and 25% fewer to fix or redrill existing wells during 2023 in...

Watchdog Wants Legislative Investigation Into CA Department of Finance $300 Million Understatement of Bottle Deposit Funds As Means to Stop Spending on Reforms

January 25, 2024  ·  Liza Tucker

Sacramento, CA— Consumer Watchdog called upon the Senate and Assembly budget chairs to investigate the Department of Finance’s understatement of available funds in CalRecycle’s budget...

Oil Drillers Mislead With Advertising Claims That Decreased CA Crude Oil Production Policies Lead To High Gas Prices

December 19, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA — In a barrage of deceptive Facebook and television advertisements, oil drillers, masquerading as “Californians for Energy Independence,” are falsely claiming limiting oil...

Consumer Watchdog Calls Out Oil Refiners’ Greed & Disinformation, Makes Case For Price Gouging Penalty Set At 70 Cents Per Gallon In Comments To CA Energy Commission

December 13, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA  —  Consumer Watchdog made a record of oil refiners’ profiteering in California and disinformation campaign in official comments before the California Energy Commission as it determines a...

New Data Show CA Oil Refiners’ Margins Grew To Unprecedented $1.50 Per Gallon During September Gas Price Spike; Profiteering Makes Case For Strong Price Gouging Penalty

December 7, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Los Angeles, CA — New data posted by the California Energy Commission shows that as California gasoline prices were spiking in September at $5.70 per gallon California’s big...

Consumer Watchdog Exposes Oil Refiner Disinformation Campaign As Price Gouging Penalty Deliberations Begin At California Energy Commission

November 28, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

 Sacramento, CA –  Consumer Watchdog released a new video today to counter a disinformation campaign by the state’s oil refiners lobby as it seeks to discredit the...

Valero Posts $2.6 Billion 3rd Q Profit On CA Gasoline Margins 56.5% Greater Than Other Regions; Shows Need For Expedited Price Gouging Penalty, Consumer Watchdog Says 

October 26, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

*This press release has been updated: Valero posted 3rd Q profit on CA Gasoline Margins that are 56.5% greater than other regions, not 70%. It made...

Governor Newsom signs AB 1167, the Orphan Well Prevention Act, and vetoes SB 842, bill that would have undermined the price gouging penalty law

October 9, 2023  ·  Alexandra Nagy

Environmental and climate justice groups celebrate a “huge win” to make polluters pay to clean up idle oil wells and to continue holding refiners accountable...

CalGEM Continues 2023 Oil Permit Approvals in Vulnerable Communities, Works Against Legislation Raising Billions in Oil Bonding to Plug Unproductive Wells; Newsom Must Ignore Regulator and Sign AB 1167, Advocacy Groups Say

October 5, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA—The state’s oil and gas regulator CalGEM has gone rogue, approving hundreds of oil permits this year in vulnerable communities breathing poisonous emissions...

California Gas Price Gap With US Grows To $1.86 Per Gallon; New State Market Monitor Pins Price Spike On Potential Spot Market Manipulation & Refinery Maintenance

September 27, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Los Angeles, CA – As new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows Californians  pay $1.86 more per gallon than US drivers for gasoline, the state’s new...

Fifty-Five Organizations Call on Gov. Newsom to Veto Bill Weakening His Landmark Refinery Price Gouging Bill

September 21, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Los Angeles, CA —Fifty-five organizations have sent a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to veto SB 842 (Bradford), legislation that would make it more cumbersome to assess...

Dirty Last Minute Deal To Weaken Gasoline Price Gouging Law Passes Under Radar; Gasoline Prices Up Steeply In California And State Has Failed To Respond

September 15, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA — A bill amended 72 hours before the end of the legislative session and passed in the dead of night without debate would...