CARB executive doesn’t think upcoming vote will increase gas costs for Californians

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The California Air Resources Board continues to be unclear about how its upcoming vote on updates to the state’s clean air rules will impact prices at the gas pump. Days after telling reporters that the board can’t analyze the potential cost increases, the air board’s executive Steven Cliff said Wednesday that he didn’t “think” they would increase gas costs. “I don’t expect them to,” Cliff said. “There will be additional impacts to costs to refiners.”Cliff said this in response to a reporter’s question at the air board’s news conference announcing a clean air effort with the airline industry. That announcement was overshadowed by CARB’s upcoming vote on its Low Carbon Fuel Standards on Nov. 8 and the lack of transparency surrounding the vote. As Cliff noted, there will be new costs for the oil and gas industry. CARB has acknowledged in previous analyses that those costs will be passed onto consumers. Last year the board projected gas prices could rise up to 47 cents per gallon by 2025. The board walked the number back after claiming it planned to make changes to the proposal. Since then, the air board been resistant to analyze the costs. Cliff told reporters on Friday that the board was incapable of doing so. The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy has estimated the updated standards could mean an extra 65 cents per gallon in 2025. The air board’s vote comes three days after the election and as recent polling shows the cost of living and the economy is the top concern for voters across the state and nation. California has 25.6 million gas powered light-duty vehicles registered in the state, which is more than 17 times to number of registered electric vehicles. Air Board Chairwoman Liane Randolph would not directly respond when KCRA 3 pressed her if it is CARB’s goal to make gas so expensive that it pushes Californians into EVs. “Those steps result in an increased variety fuels available and overall lower the carbon emitted throughout our transportation sector,” she said in part about the updated standards proposal. “All of those efforts, all of that variety in fuels will help reduce costs to help move people around the state of California.” Hours after the press conference and after KCRA 3 posted about the exchange on X, air board spokesperson Lys Mendez said, “No, full stop,” in response to the question about pushing Californians into EVs. Within the last couple of weeks, after lawmakers passed a new law allowing state regulators to set new storage and maintenance rules for refiners, Phillps 66 announced it would shudder its LA-based refiner.”California is increasing its regulatory pressure on the industry,” Valero’s chief executive reportedly said. “Considering everything, all options are on the table.”On Wednesday afternoon, Republican California Assemblymen James Gallagher and Joe Patterson sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, urging him to reconsider the fuels storage proposal and direct CARB to halt its vote in order to analyze the immediate costs to gas consumers. “California’s web of regulations and mandates has created an environment where oil refineries cannot survive. That will inevitably result in higher energy prices for California consumers as gasoline is purchased from overseas to make up the difference,” they wrote. “We’re protecting Californians from price hikes at the pump and cleaning our air,” Gov. Newsom’s spokesman Alex Stack told KCRA 3 in a statement Wednesday night. “These Republicans are trying to take us backwards because it would be good for Big Oil and their profits. By helping protect against price spikes and cutting pollution, these policies will save Californians billions every year in lower fuel costs and better health outcomes.” See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

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