News Releases

Public Interest Groups Take On Newsom Administration Over Backtracking On Cleanup Of Radioactivity At Santa Susana Site, Case To Be Heard On Monday

April 13, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

In an appeal before the Court of Appeal in Sacramento to be heard on Monday, the Newsom Administration will be challenged over positions that breach a longstanding agreement to require all radioactive waste from the Santa Susana Field Lab be disposed of at sites licensed and designed for such waste.

1st Q Oil Permits Within 3,200-Foot Setback Zone Total 62% Of All New Permits Approved In State Action Condemned By Advocates

April 12, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

The total number of oil drilling permits approved since Governor Gavin Newsom he took office reached nearly 15,000 in the first quarter of 2023, FracTracker Alliance and Consumer Watchdog said today.

Price Gouging Penalty and Oil Refiner Accountability Bill To Become Law

March 27, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Legislation backed by Governor Newsom to create a new state watchdog with power to prevent price gouging at the gas pump cleared the California Assembly by a vote of 52 to 19 and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature.

CA Senate Passes Gasoline Price Gouging Penalty And Oil Refinery Transparency Bill, Goes to Assembly  

March 23, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA — A landmark measure to rein in skyrocketing California gasoline prices has cleared the California Senate by a vote of 30 to 8.  ...

Price gouging Penalty Passes First Hurdle; Consumer Watchdog Testifies In Assembly About Need for Penalty and Transparency Reforms, $590 Million Oil Exec Stock Grab

March 22, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

SBx1 2, the newly amended proposal for a price gouging penalty and oil refiner transparency, passed its first test in the California Senate Utilities, Energy and Commerce Committee

Governor and Legislature Strike Deal on Price Gouging Penalty And Oil Refiner Transparency

March 20, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Making California First State In America To Rein In Oil Refiner Greed and Profiteering Los Angeles, CA – Governor Newsom and California legislature leaders have reached...

Executives And Insiders At CA Big 5 Refiners Cashed Out $590 Million In Company Stock During 2022 In Wartime Profiteering

March 15, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Top executives and insiders at California’s big five oil refiners cashed out $590 million in stock in 2022, according to a review of filings with Securities Exchange Commission by the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog.

Consumer Watchdog Testifies For Windfall Profits Cap At CA Senate Energy Committee

February 22, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

Sacramento, CA – Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court will offer testimony in favor of enacting a price gouging penalty and windfall profits cap on oil refiners...

Over 100 Groups Support California Legislation Curtailing Excessive Refinery Profits

February 21, 2023  ·  Alexandra Nagy

Labor, Working Families Party, progressive and climate justice organizations unite on bill to penalize future gasoline price gouging Sacramento, CA — Over 100 state, local, and...

PBF Energy, Last of California’s Big Five Refiners To Report 2022 Results, Finishes Parade Of Windfall Profits In California

February 16, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA—PBF Energy today posted an annual profit of $2.9 billion. The five refiners controlling California’s gasoline market —  PBF Energy, Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, Valero,...

Consumer Watchdog Provides Testimony Of Manipulation of Natural Gas Prices In Southern California To Public Utilities Commission

February 7, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

San Francisco, CA – Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court offered the following testimony to the Public Utilities Commission on the spike in natural gas prices...

Two California Refiners Reveal Windfall Profits For 2022, Continuing In Footsteps of Chevron

February 3, 2023  ·  Liza Tucker

Los Angeles, CA—Marathon Petroleum made 75 cents in profit per gallon off West Coast drivers in 2022, virtually doubling what it made the year before,...