Vice-Chair Dahle warns new legislation passed out of Special Committee on Fuel would hike gas prices

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – After hearing from industry stakeholders and community leaders from around California at a meeting of the Senate Special Committee on Fuel Supply and Price Spikes today, Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) concluded that the state’s heavy-handed regulations blocking new fuel supplies or even storage are the heart of the problem with high and volatile gasoline prices, and the governor’s proposed new mandates will only make a bad situation worse.

Senator Dahle served as vice chair of the committee as it discussed ABX2-1, which would authorize the California Energy Commission to develop and impose requirements for refiners to maintain minimum levels of inventories of refined transportation fuels. The governor proposed the bill as part of the special session of the Legislature he called in August.

Commonsense proposals, like suspending the gas tax and fast-tracking refinery storage projects, were killed in the Assembly last week.

Senator Dahle released the following statement:

“I appreciate all the hardworking individuals who made their way to the Capitol today to let their voices be heard. I’m deeply concerned that the California Dream is becoming more elusive with policies like this. 

“California doesn’t have a clear path forward to allow for refineries to increase storage capacity, and this bill will create artificial shortages by limiting supply. It’s nothing but a scheme to collect money from oil refineries and consumers at the pump.

“The Governor claims he’s helping consumers, but this state’s hostile energy regulations and high taxes are driving up California’s gas prices, and I don’t trust that more government interference is actually going to save Californians money.”

Senator Brian Dahle represents California’s 1st Senate District, which contains all or portions of 15 counties, including Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Shasta. Also serving deferred areas of Tehama, Butte, Colusa, and Glenn counties.