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Politics Oct 26, 2024
| Photos by donut3771 and Mike Shots/Envato Elements
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House Republicans called for California air-quality regulators to postpone an upcoming vote on more stringent emissions standards that could significantly increase fuel prices, U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel announced Friday.
Steel, whose district is in northeastern Orange County, and Rep. Rand David Valadao, R-Visalia, co-wrote a letter signed by all House Republicans from California asking the Air Resources Board to delay a Nov. 8 vote on changes to the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
“Once the proposed amendments are implemented in 2024, they are projected to potentially increase the price of gasoline by an average of $0.37 per gallon, potentially increase the price of diesel by an average of $0.47 per gallon, and fossil jet fuel $0.35 per gallon based on the average change in estimated annual LCFS credit price and annual deficits … through 2030,” according to a California Air Resources Board analysis released in September 2023.
The same analysis, which the reps’ letter references, also provided a table showing 2025 pump prices could rise by $0.47 per gallon for gasoline, $0.59 for diesel and $0.44 for jet fuel.
The congressional members’ letter to the board also included an estimate from the state’s Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee that the “current policy trajectory could singlehandedly raise gas prices by 85 cents by 2030.”
The lawmakers urged board members to immediately assess costs to consumers before making policy changes that will raise gas prices, adding that high gas prices “disproportionately affect working class Californians, who’ve already weathered significant cost of living increases in recent years.”
Co-signers of the letter were Reps. Ken Calvert, John Duarte, Vince Fong, Mike Garcia, Darrell Issa, Kevin Kiley, Young Kim, Doug LaMalfa, Tom McClintock and Jay Obernolte.
“Governor Newsom’s bureaucracy in Sacramento continues to make life unaffordable for Californians without considering input from affected citizens. State agencies should not be enacting new regulations raising our cost of living by dramatically increasing already-high gas prices,” Steel said in a statement. “CARB must delay their November 8 vote and study the impact their regulations will have on all Californians.”
The letter, which as addressed to CARB Board Chairman Liane Randolph, noted that “(the board’s) new and opaque approach comes as Californians continue to weather gas prices $1.50 above national averages, as well as a July hike in the gas excise tax to 59.6 cents per gallon. Allowing these amendments to move forward will result in an added economic burden on Californians when they are already struggling with elevated energy, food, and housing costs.”
The board did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The members’ full letter is available online.
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