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California also needs a special blend that is only required in California (CARBOB). A lot of that is refined outside of the US, because there is not the capaci
by kyrra 5mo ago
California also needs a special blend that is only required in California (CARBOB). A lot of that is refined outside of the US, because there is not the capacity domestically. Cali could immediately have more fuel and cheaper prices by dropping their special requirements.
- throw03172019 5mo agoIs this an emissions reducing based blend?
- flumpmaster 5mo agoYes.
- shadow28 5mo agoYep, it's a low sulfur, lower volatility gasoline blend (https://thebreakthrough.org/issues/energy/how-california-regulated-itself-into-an-energy-crisis https://thebreakthrough.org/issues/energy/how-california-reg...) which apparently cuts harmful exhaust emissions like carbon monoxide and NOx.
- jsbisviewtiful 5mo agoSounds great for people and the environment. Too bad its production is now in danger thanks to horrible, ignorant decisions by this administration.
- gjsman-1000 5mo ago[flagged]
- jst1fthsdys 5mo agoPrices just shot up over a dollar nationally and no one is burning anything down. The real "let them eat cake" is the biggest polluters externalizing the costs of that pollution down to the people, all while the state is dismantling the EPA and clean energy. Imagine if we had real public transportation across the nation. Less pollution AND cheaper for the average person. Wonder why that isn't happening.
- gjsman-1000 5mo ago> Wonder why that isn't happening Because the US is overwhelmingly urban sprawl and is not Europe. The only way to fix this is to tear down and rebuild (which we cannot afford), or accept that public transit wait times are terribly slow due to the distance between stops. Combine that with a lack of nerve to aggressively combat crime or antisocial behavior on transit, maybe a fear of perpetuating inequality or something, and anyone who isn’t a man doesn’t feel safe trying it.
- digitalPhonix 5mo ago> Because the US is overwhelmingly urban sprawl and is not Europe That's a bad excuse a) because Europe isn't one single demographic but still public transport is useful, reliable and safe everywhere (from Dublin/Zurich on the low side of the population density scale to London/Paris/Madrid on the high side and Amsterdam/Hamburg/Prague in the middle). and b) there are plenty of examples outside of Europe. Melbourne is urban sprawl. The metro area is 50 miles east to west, 30 miles north to south (more, but there's also a big bay) and a population of only 5 million. A lower population density than the Denver MSA but manages to run a train/bus/tram system that's useful, reliable and safe.
- xethos 5mo agoBetween the US and Canada, Canada (with it's population the size of California) has three out of four of the highest-ridership light rail systems. Blaming sprawl or population count, while being outshone by Canada, means it's neither of the above. Perhaps we can move on to the auto companies pushing out light rail in California in the fifties to bump their own profits, or accept that it's the American people and their ethos that has left the automobile as the claimed only option.
- jsbisviewtiful 5mo agoSure but do you recall what LA looked like in the 80's? The gas is more expensive but the unseen cost of that level of pollution is very high. The gov can solve all future gas problems with EV subsidies and manufacturers can help solve this problem by making affordable EVs, but getting the current admin or manufacturers to do either seems like a cruel joke at this point. The fed is going as far as to deny Chinese car imports because the EVs are so cheap it would crash the US car industry.
- gjsman-1000 5mo agoNot everyone in California lives in LA or has LA’s problems.
- jsbisviewtiful 5mo agoI won't engage any further with a strawman argument made in bad faith.
- jjav 5mo ago> Not everyone in California lives in LA or has LA’s problems. That's why smog rules vary per county.
- duck 5mo agoTrue, but the gas blend requirement is state wide which I think was the point being made.
- rickydroll 5mo agoBoston had a similar problem. I remember more than once coming over Belmont Hill on Route 2 and seeing this gray-brown cloud sitting over the city with the Prudential Building sticking up out of it. The problem with Chinese imports and the American auto industry gives me serious flashbacks to the 1970s, when cheap Japanese compacts came in and took business away from American automakers. Seems to me the American auto industry can't learn to adapt until some foreign competitor comes in and repeatedly kicks them in the nuts.
- JKCalhoun 5mo agoAnd economically regressive. I'm not sure I would point the finger at "green movements" though.
- xtiansimon 5mo agoAnd no MTBE, IIRC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTBE_controversy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTBE_controversy
- keane 5mo agoCorrect, since 2002: https://arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/gasoline https://arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/gasoline
- 0cf8612b2e1e 5mo agoPresumably that might get an emergency resolution in the coming weeks.
- wilg 5mo agoNice of Donald Trump to force us into a choice between poisoning the air and financial hardship! But at least it was for a good reason: ???
- tharmas 5mo agoHe's trying to control the oil that goes to China. First, take Maduro then close the Straight of Hormuz (to prevent oil going to China). The rest is just collateral damage as far as he's concerned. This is all about keeping China down, and preserving American Hegemony. That's his definition of "making America great again". He doesn't care that you're paying more for food, gasoline, etc. and that the rest of the third world will soon be starving. Gulf States get a swap line (can't let Wall St crash), but you get no bail out because the elites don't care that you are hurting. They care about the Gulf States hurting because that ultimately means Wall St will crash which would hurt the Billionaire elites. So to sum up, the reason is maintain America's Hegemony and protect the Billionaire class.
- CamperBob2 5mo agoDogs and cats were being eaten, you see. And did you hear her laugh?
- ChoGGi 5mo agoNot sure why you're being down voted, I've sadly heard those exact arguments.
- CamperBob2 5mo agoNowadays, this place is basically where Trumpers go to mingle with neo-Luddites. I don't get it either, but that's the audience that has been cultivated.
- colechristensen 5mo agoDoes this have anything to do with the extensive and happening now or very recent shutdowns of several california refineries?
- flumpmaster 5mo agoYes. Between 2020 and present The refining capacity in California declined by 35% from 1.9 MM BPD to 1.2 MM BPD with the closure of 4 refineries: Marathon Martinez (2020) converted to renewables. Crude capacity 157 MBD, Renewables capacity 48 MBD P66 Rodeo (2022) converted to renewables. Crude capacity 120 MBD, Renewables capacity 50 MBD P66 LA (2025) shutdown. Crude capacity 139 MBD Valero Bencia (2026) shutdown. Crude capacity 145 MBD The California Air Resource Board (CARB) has promulgated a revised Cap and Invest rule that threatens the viability of the remaining refineries. All the remaining California refineries have sent CARB, the Governor and the CA legislature letters pointing this out. California is now a net importer of gasoline following these refinery closures.
- annoyingnoob 5mo agoWe could die chocking on the air that produces too. Understand the history in CA and the reasons we have special gas. Would you really want to hurt children for cheaper gas? Really? https://today.usc.edu/las-environmental-success-story-cleaner-air-healthier-kids/ https://today.usc.edu/las-environmental-success-story-cleane...
- GenerWork 5mo agoThose rules around special gasoline were made when both federal and California car exhaust regulations were much looser than today, and electric cars were a complete pipe dream. I've seen estimates ranging for savings from $.25 to $1 per gallon if California dropped the requirements. >Would you really want to hurt children for cheaper gas? Nice appeal to emotion.
- theturtle 5mo ago[dead]
- hparadiz 5mo agoIt's more emotional to drop an important regulation over a dollar. I was already paying $5 for premium before all this and now it's $5.75. Big deal. I'd rather have clearer skies.
- jshen 5mo agoYou didn't really address his main point. Will this lead to higher levels of pollution that will have real health consequences? Oddly you suggest it's not valid to raise concerns around health consequences.
- annoyingnoob 5mo agoYou obviously never loved through LA Smog. You never had to stay inside or skip school because the air was too dirty to breathe. Take a look at how it was: https://www.ccair.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/LA-smog.jpg https://www.ccair.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/LA-smog.jpg Cars may burn cleaner but they still burn, and there are more of them than ever. Easing economic pain in exchange for health pain is nonsensical. Breathe from your own tailpipe if its no big deal.
- at-fates-hands 5mo agoLast year there was some rumbling that Newsom would start to increase production because two refineries were closing sooner than later with the prospect of much higher gas prices. Since CA is really pushing renewables hard and transitioning off of fossil fuels, all the front runners for CA governor have indicated they are steadfastly against increasing production. Gavin Newsom warms to Big Oil in climate reversal: https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/oil-compromise-california-legislature/ https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/oil-compromise-calif... I think your idea is a great solution to the problem and would give politicians cover with their environmental base and a win for their constituents.
- dmitrygr 5mo ago> Newsom would start to increase production Newsom is not a refinery nor does he own any refineries. He cannot increase any production by definition.
- AnimalMuppet 5mo agoHe can allow non-California-special-blend gasoline to be sold in California, as a temporary emergency measure. This does not increase any production, but it massively increases the production of gasoline that can legally be sold in California. (As a side benefit, he can also blame the need on Trump, if the environmentalists get on his case...)