Part 9/11:
This unfolding saga encapsulates the clash between California’s aggressive environmental policies and the practical realities of energy production. While the state emphasizes a transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy, it simultaneously faces the immediate consequences of its regulatory policies—namely, rising fuel prices and the potential loss of critical refining infrastructure.
Critics argue that California’s environmental approach, characterized by bans on new gas vehicle sales from 2035 and restrictions that make refining more difficult and costly, has contributed directly to the industry's crisis. They contend the policies are overly idealistic and disconnected from the economic and logistical realities of energy supply.