Climate Advocates to Gov. Newsom & Legislative Leaders: Stop Selling Out to Big Oil – Gutting Vital Environmental Protections Behind Closed Doors

Sacramento, CA – On Wednesday morning, climate advocates representing a coalition of 140 organizations held a press conference calling out Governor Newsom and state lawmakers for reversing course on their promises to take concrete steps against Big Oil that would move California towards a clean energy future.  

The renewed cry for state leaders to protect California and its residents from the devastating climate and environmental impacts of fossil fuel production comes as Newsom signals a reversal on his promise to shut down oil refineries in the state, and ahead of a joint legislative hearing on a package of bills that would make it easier for Big Oil to drill, threatening California’s environment and climate progress.

“Exempting mega-polluters from environmental review won’t build more housing. Lawmakers thought they could hoodwink us, but they were wrong,” said Asha Sharma, State Policy Manager, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability.  “California communities are demanding a fix to SB 131 NOW because communities are already paying a steep price for smokestacks, chemical plants, and superfund sites upstream from our neighborhoods.”

“Our Governor has shown he can be a strong national voice, and now Californians need that same leadership here at home on issues that are important to voters, like clean water and clean air.” said Melissa Romero, Policy Advocacy Director of California Environmental Voters. “That means ensuring clean, affordable energy that lowers bills and safeguarding clean water so every community can thrive in the face of climate change.”

“Lawmakers promised a legislative session focused on affordability, yet what we have seen is a commitment to the status quo with more profits for polluters while communities continue to bear the steep health and financial costs of pollution. Cap and trade must be reformed to put people first. Poverty and inequality are on the rise and growing because of worsening climate change,” said Raquel Mason, Senior Legislative Manager of the California Environmental Justice Alliance. “Reforming Cap-and-Trade is an opportunity to create a more equitable and just future for communities bearing the brunt of the climate crisis with their lives and their pocketbooks. We are here to demand legislators focus on affordability for people, not polluters.”

“Clean water access is a right, not a privilege. Governor Newsom and the Legislature must take bold action to protect Californians’ right to clean water while the rest of the nation retreats during the Trump Administration,” said Sean Bothwell, Executive Director for the California Coastkeeper Alliance. “Under Trump, over 600,000 miles of California streams and up to 96 percent of our wetlands are at risk of losing federal Clean Water Act protections. If California doesn’t step up and protect our water now, no one will.  Pass Senate Bill 601, the Right to Clean Water Act!”

“Big Oil makes record profits by cutting corners and putting our health and safety at risk. Now, it has found a twisted way to profit off the transition away from oil: by threatening massive fuel shortages if state leaders don’t gut decades of health and safety regulations. This is a classic shakedown and our leaders must stop it,” said Tyler Earl, Senior Staff Attorney with Communities for a Better Environment. “Demand for gasoline is falling and refineries will inevitably close at some point, so it is well past time for lawmakers to plan and implement a managed decline that prevents price spikes, protects fence-line communities, and ensures a just transition for refinery workers. Otherwise, Big Oil will continue to extort the state at the expense of everyone, particularly the Black and brown communities who live near oil infrastructure.”

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