California ... what a state!
Newsom Says California Will Oppose Offshore Drilling Expansion As State Relies on Iraqi Imports To Meet Energy Demands California governor Gavin Newsom (D.) declared this week that a Trump administration proposal to expand oil drilling off the coast of his state is "Dead on arrival." His opposition comes as California relies on imported oil from authoritarian states like Iraq and Saudi Arabia to meet its energy demand.
Newsom made the remark during the ongoing U.N. climate summit in Brazil. He was addressing media reports that the Trump Department of the Interior is mulling plans to lease large chunks of federal waters off the California coast to oil companies. Those plans are likely to be finalized and released as early as next week, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.
The federal government hasn't held an offshore oil lease sale in California in more than three decades amid vociferous opposition from Newsom and environmental groups. More offshore drilling, though, could prove to be an economic boon for California, which has some of the nation's highest gasoline and electricity prices thanks in part to policies that make it harder for companies to produce and refine oil. As a result, 63.5 percent of California's oil is imported from foreign nations, and its imports of gasoline hit an all-time high earlier this year.
In 2024, Iraq was the largest foreign supplier of oil to California, sending the Golden State more than 68 million barrels of oil, according to state data. The Middle Eastern nation has few environmental laws governing its oil industry while recent oil spills have contaminated large swaths of once-productive Iraqi farmland, Agence France-Presse reported.
Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Colombia also sent significant oil supplies to California in 2024. Newsom entered into climate agreements with some of those nations—Brazil and Colombia—at the U.N. summit this week. "California is proud to unite shoulder-to-shoulder with Chile, Colombia, and Brazil to deliver real results for people and the planet," the governor said.
Newsom also struck a climate deal with Nigeria, which has exported tens of millions of barrels of oil to California during the Newsom administration.
Still, California Natural Resources Agency secretary Wade Crowfoot said the risk of more drilling "is simply too high." ..........
https://freebeacon.com/california/california-dependent-on-iraqi-oil-imports-will-oppose-plan-to-expand-offshore-drilling-gavin-newsom-says/
