Category: Climate Opponents

California has long been a global leader in climate policy, but some recent climate legislative efforts have faced significant roadblocks from familiar foes. While the state’s residents overwhelmingly support climate action, the fossil fuel industry, led by lobbying groups like the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), continues to relentlessly undermine and derail legislation that delivers for California communities and the climate. 

Recently, WSPA has shifted their attention from influencing politicians to deceiving Californians with a new cynical advertising campaign. WSPA wants us to believe that California’s climate policies are unfair and burdensome. The misleading ad campaign tries to put the blame on climate legislation, but no amount of advertising can hide what they are really protecting – billions in profit and record executive pay. 

However, behind the facade of this dark campaign ad, WSPA and its allies have funneled millions into lobbying efforts to block the very policies that would protect communities they claim to care about. In just the first half of 2024, fossil fuel interests, including Chevron, WSPA, Sempra Energy, and others, spent over $13 million on lobbying to obstruct critical climate legislation, including the bills detailed below. This blog explores how their lobbying, testimonies, and political maneuvers ensured the defeat of these crucial initiatives.

AB 3155: Health Protection Zones and Civil Liability

What it was about: AB 3155 aimed to expand California’s setback law by holding oil companies liable for respiratory and prenatal ailments within 3,200 feet of wells. This legislation had the potential to safeguard public health in vulnerable communities.

Fossil Fuel Obstruction: Chevron made it their mission to defeat this bill.

Chevron representative Alejandra Ruiz publicly opposed AB 3155, testifying against it before the Assembly Judiciary Committee. According to Politico, Chevron and WSPA made AB 3155 a top priority, dispatching lobbyists and utilizing substantial resources to ensure its failure. 

• Alejandra Ruiz, Chevron representative: “My name is Alejandra Ruiz, and I work for Chevron, and I work with the communities in Kern, Monterey, and Fresno County. And I know they’re very appreciative.”
• Paul Deiro, WSPA California Policy Senior Director: “The requirement that operators use the ‘best available technology’ to reduce pollution and contamination is extremely vague and not a safe harbor. There is no data to support adverse impacts from oil and gas facilities in California.”

Outcome: Laura Friedman, the bill’s author, withdrew it before a floor vote, citing industry opposition.

SB 1497: Make Polluters Pay Act

What it was about: SB 1497 aimed to make the world’s biggest fossil fuel producers pay for climate damages. By assessing fees on these companies, California could have created a Superfund to address climate-related disasters like floods and wildfires.

Fossil Fuel Obstruction: The oil industry’s aggressive opposition ensured this bill never stood a chance.

WSPA, along with the California Chamber of Commerce and other industry allies, circulated a “floor alert” to legislators, claiming that SB 1497 would burden consumers and increase business costs. WSPA’s spokesperson, Kevin Slagle, confirmed the bill was a priority for them, contributing to its failure to come up for a floor vote.

• WSPA Floor Alert: “SB 1497 will impose a cost burden on consumers and increase operational costs for businesses in California. These added costs will only discourage further investment in the state’s economy.”
• Kevin Slagle, WSPA spokesperson: “This was certainly a priority bill for us.”

Outcome: These substantial lobbying efforts prevented the bill from coming to a floor vote.

SB 938: Political Activities and Advertising by Utilities

What it was about: SB 938 hoped to limit what utilities could spend ratepayer money on, particularly targeting political activities and advertising. This bill responded to a scandal where SoCalGas reportedly billed ratepayers $36 million for lobbying against climate legislation. 

Fossil Fuel Obstruction: Despite a clear misuse of funds, the industry’s influence proved stronger.

Sempra Energy affiliates San Diego Gas & Electric and SoCalGas registered opposition to the bill. Despite a history of using ratepayer money for lobbying, these companies argued against the necessity and fairness of the bill.

• Israel Salas, Sempra Energy Government Affairs Manager: “Israel Salas with San Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California Gas Company, in opposition as well. Thank you.”
• Brian Haas, SoCalGas spokesperson: “The Bee’s reporting [on SoCalGas billing ratepayers $36 million for lobbying] is incorrect. The utility is aligned and working transparently with lawmakers on net-zero plans.”

Outcome: The bill ultimately died in the Senate Energy Committee after several legislators abstained from voting.

SB 556: Health Protection Zones and Presumptive Liability

What it was about: SB 556, the precursor to AB 3155, aimed to hold oil companies accountable for health effects on residents living near wells. 

Fossil Fuel Obstruction: WSPA and CIPA labeled the bill as scientifically flawed and arbitrary. They argued that multiple sources of emissions, not just oil and gas operations, contributed to adverse health impacts.

Outcome: Despite the clear intent to protect public health, SB 556 failed to move forward in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

SB 252: Fossil Fuel Divestment

What it was about: SB 252 sought to require California’s public pension funds to divest from fossil fuels by 2031. This legislation would have prevented investments in the top 200 fossil fuel companies, aligning financial practices with the state’s climate goals.

Fossil Fuel Obstruction: Industry opposition was fierce.

WSPA and CIPA officially opposed the bill, but significant resistance also came from CalPERS and CalSTRS. These pension systems argued that the divestment would compromise their financial obligations to future retirees.

• Politico: “Environmentalists’ support for both bills has run into concerted opposition from CalPERS and CalSTRS. The pension systems have argued the divestment push undercuts their financial obligations to future retirees.”
• Fossil Free CA: “The group supports Gonzalez’s decision to pull the bill for now, calling the amendments a ‘poison pill.'”

Outcome: Sen. Lena Gonzalez ultimately withdrew SB 252 after the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee demanded extensive amendments.

– –

The persistent and aggressive lobbying efforts of the fossil fuel industry have significantly hindered California’s progressive climate legislation. Despite being a leader in climate policy, the state has seen crucial bills aimed at protecting public health, ensuring financial accountability, and promoting clean energy fail due to the powerful influence of oil and gas giants like Chevron, Sempra Energy, and WSPA.

To dive deeper into the ways the fossil fuel industry has obstructed California’s climate progress, check out these related blogs:

• SEMPRA, Chevron, and Western States Petroleum Association Ramping Up Lobby Spending To Delay Climate Action and Create Special Deals for Themselves
• Western States Petroleum Association Slows California’s Clean Car Progress

Lobby spending and campaign finance reports have been released for 2023, and one thing is clear: the grip Big oil and gas has on California’s political landscape is stronger than ever.

In 2023 (a non-election year!), the oil and gas industry poured over $1 million into the pockets of California candidates and spent nearly $22 million lobbying against critical climate bills. Sempra Energy stood out as the largest corporate contributor to California Legislators in 2023. This influx of money was strategically deployed to try to deepen influence and delay progress on climate solutions in California. 

Breaking Down the Numbers

The influence of big oil and gas is widespread, with more than three-quarters of California’s legislators receiving fossil fuel money in 2023. This includes 72% of Democrats and 96% of Republicans, indicating a bipartisan attempt to buy influence on the state’s environmental progress. This concerted effort by oil and gas to attempt to control California’s legislative agenda highlights a glaring conflict: while these companies report billions in profits and their CEOs enjoy multi-million dollar paychecks, they spend millions to obstruct the transition to clean energy and maintain high energy prices, leaving California families to bear the burden.

Check out CCAP’s updated Climate Scorecard HERE to see which oil and gas companies are contributing to California legislators and learn how those legislators are voting on key climate policies.

2023’s lobby expenditure reports have been released from the Secretary of State and they are sounding the alarm for any Californian concerned about the health of our communities, the climate, and the state’s transition to a cleaner, more prosperous economy. Last year, the Oil & Gas industry doubled down on its opposition to consumer and climate-friendly policies in California, spending more money lobbying legislators than in any session since 2017.  

Chevron ($11.1 million) and the Western States Petroleum Association ($6.9 million) were two of the top three organizations spending the most on lobbying last year . They were in good company with five other Oil & Gas giants – Sempra Energy ($1.4 million), Phillips 66 ($802,000), Calpine ($446,000), Valero ($598,000), and ExxonMobil ($460,000) – combining to spend more than $22.3 million to fight bills to protect consumers from oil price-gouging, require corporations to account for their climate impacts and climate-related financial risk, and set stricter bonding requirements for Oil & Gas wells.

The influx of Oil & Gas money into Sacramento was due, in part, to Governor Gavin Newsom’s special legislative session in April 2023 to impose a new windfall profit tax on oil companies in response to the “outrageous and unconscionable” rising gasoline prices in California. Assailing industry greed and influence in Sacramento, the Governor told a Climate Week panel that “Sacramento may be dominated by Democrats, but many of us are wholly owned subsidiaries of the fossil fuel industry.”

 In the end “the law was significantly watered down amid opposition from the trades unions and the oil industry.”

Industry lobbying comes on top of the millions Oil & Gas interests have made in campaign contributions and independent expenditures on behalf of lawmakers in recent elections, and the industry has used that influence to attempt to rig the political system in California and push an agenda to burn more fossil fuels. 

Despite a pledge by the California Democratic Party to refuse to accept campaign contributions from fossil fuel companies, 77% of all Democratic Assemblymembers and State Senators took contributions from oil and/or gas companies. 

The California Climate Accountability Project keeps an eye on these contributions and how they may impact legislators’ votes on climate issues. Our updated climate scorecard reflects all of the 2023 legislative votes. 

Are you curious about how a legislator voted on climate issues? Wondering how much money their campaigns received from Oil & Gas? Take a look at the new scores on our interactive webtool.

The California Climate Accountability Project has released its updated climate scorecard to reflect all of the 2023 legislative votes. The updated scorecard showcases California’s climate leaders and California’s climate laggards. Curious about how a legislator voted on climate issues? Wondering how much money their campaigns received from Oil & Gas? Take a look at the new scores on the California Climate Accountability Project’s interactive webtool.

As California faces the growing challenges of climate change, including wildfires, droughts, and extreme heat, residents are asking more from legislators on climate and clean energy. In fact, 70% say they want the electricity grid to run on 100% renewable energy by 2035. Thus, it is paramount that our elected officials uphold promises and act as responsible stewards of our environment, properly representing constituents. 

2023 was another important year for climate legislation in California. Several key climate bills crossed the governor’s desk this year. The below bills have been added to the scorecard from the 2023 legislative session. These bills are critical to California’s clean energy future and residents should be able to easily understand how their legislators voted on these bills. The 2023 climate bills that have been added to the scorecard are:

• SB 253 Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act
• SB 261 Greenhouse gasses: climate-related financial risk
• AB 1167 Oil and gas: acquisition: bonding requirements
• AB 631 Oil and gas: enforcement: penalties

We know that California politics isn’t always black and white and not every legislator who accepts Oil & Gas money allows it to influence their vote. However, it is clear that the fossil fuel industry is constantly trying to buy power and influence. While perhaps some Californians would not be surprised that certain Republicans received Oil & Gas funding and then were aligned with the oil and gas industry in opposing climate legislation, several Democrats also failed to protect California’s climate. In total, seven Democrats both accepted financial contributions from oil and gas and failed to support any of the climate bills detailed above. They are:

• Marie Alvarado-Gil (Senator, District 4)
• Jasmeet Bains (Assemblymember, District 35)
• Mike Gipson (Assemblymember, District 65)
• Tim Grayson (Assemblymember, District 15)
• Blanca Rubio (Assemblymember, District 48)
• Esmeralda Soria (Assemblymember, District 27)
• Carlos Villapudua (Assemblymember, District 13)

2024 is a seminal year for climate and clean energy legislation in California and across the country because scientists say we must rapidly reduce emissions and limit warming to avoid the most devastating and irreversible impacts of climate change.. We’ll continue to ensure that the public knows when legislators take Oil & Gas money and subsequently do not support critical climate legislation. Stay tuned throughout the year for more updates and information on your legislator’s climate accountability. 

The California Climate Accountability Project urges Californians to examine their legislators – explore our webtool to access comprehensive information about legislators’ voting records and financial ties to Oil & Gas interests.

Is Your Legislator a California Climate Champion? 

Climate scorecard allows Californians to track oil and gas contributions and legislator votes 

(SACRAMENTO, CA) 79 percent of California legislators accept campaign money from the oil and gas industry, and 16 of the top 20 recipients earned a D or F grade on climate action, according to a new webtool and climate scorecard released today by the California Climate Accountability Project (CCAP).

 With the launch of the tool, CCAP is shining a light on the millions the oil and gas industry is spending to influence California policy makers, while also spotlighting the climate champions who vote for California’s future.

 By entering their zip code, Californians can get information about their legislators’ industry campaign contributions, as well as a Climate Score based on votes on key recent climate bills.

Despite a pledge by the California Democratic Party to refuse to accept campaign contributions from oil and gas interests, 72 out of 94 – 76.6 percent – of all Democratic Assemblymembers and State Senators took contributions from oil and/or gas companies. Oil and gas industry influence takes many forms, including direct campaign contributions and independent expenditure campaigns as well as millions more in lobbying regulators and state legislators to oppose policy and regulation meant to build out California’s solar and wind resources, improve its electric vehicle infrastructure and transition buildings to zero-emissions energy. 

“We support the climate champions in our legislature who are putting our state on the path to a climate-safe future,” said Ellie Cohen, CEO of The Climate Center. “But California isn’t making progress fast enough and it’s because of oil and gas money in Sacramento. Legislators need to side with people, not polluters, and reject campaign contributions from oil and gas interests. Together, we will hold our lawmakers accountable and secure the accelerated, equitable climate solutions that Californians deserve.”

“For too long, fossil fuel companies have funded legislators in Sacramento, rigging the system against low-income, BIPOC communities,” said Raquel Mason, Policy Manager at California Environmental Justice Alliance. “They have avoided scrutiny. That’s about to change. Our legislators need to stand up for the health and future of all Californians, rather than working behind the scenes to protect corporate profits.”

California’s legislators are considering several critical bills, including SB252, SB253 and SB261 that could bolster the state’s climate ambitions, and each will come with a fight from special interests. CCAP will continue to call attention to the voting patterns of legislators in Sacramento. 

For more information: https://caclimateaccountability.org

# # #

California is at a crossroads.

Last legislative session, state legislators passed critical policies to curb emissions and protect Californians from pollution. But there’s still work to do to keep California a global climate leader. We need to close loopholes allowing corporations to greenwash and the state to invest in dirty energy. 

This legislative session, California has an opportunity to hold the oil and gas industry and other polluters accountable for their climate impacts. Right now, state legislators are considering a climate package that would:

• Require big corporations to track and fully report on their emissions. This is a major step toward combating corporate greenwashing.
• Put an end to California investing billions of teacher and state employee retirement dollars in oil and gas companies, stopping the state’s contradictory policy of being a climate leader while simultaneously investing in fossil fuel corporations.
• Require large companies to prepare climate-related financial risk reports, enabling individuals to make informed decisions about their investments and support companies that are taking climate action.

We can’t allow the fossil fuel industry to continue to mislead and manipulate Californians. We deserve to know how much large corporations are contributing to climate change and for the state to stop empowering the fossil fuel industry through investments. 

It’s time for legislators to pick a side— corporate greed or California’s climate future. 

With a bureaucratic name and departments filled with engineers and scientists, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) tends to fly below the radar, but make no mistake, it plays a critical role in California’s effort to fight climate change, reduce air pollution and protect the health of overburdened communities living at the fence lines of Southern California’s biggest polluters. 

 On December 2, 2022, SCAQMD will finalize its 2022 Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP), and without dramatic improvements, the agency will miss the mark and come up short of addressing the magnitude of our air quality crisis. For too long, oil and gas industry lobbying has succeeded in creating special carve-outs for the industry at the expense of the health of Californians. 

By staff’s own estimates, to meet federal air quality standards, the region must reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions by 83 percent. There is an urgent need to adopt zero emission technologies across all sectors and reduce the pollution impacts of diesel trucks pouring into the region that serves growing distribution and warehouse businesses in the Inland Empire and at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. 

Tell SCAQMD to stand up to oil and gas interests and approve a strong clean air plan that protects public health and the environment

SCAQMD is responsible for the air quality of a 6,700-square-mile basin spanning Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties. It regulates emissions from major polluters, like power plants and oil refineries and coordinates its efforts with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), which regulates cars and trucks, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which oversees interstate and international travel and commerce. Since 1979, SCAQMD has been out of compliance with all federal clean air standards for ozone, commonly known as smog. 

Southern California has the worst ozone pollution in the country, according to the American Lung Association’s 2022 State of the Air Report, and this year, the South Coast Air Basin had over 100 bad air days for ozone. 

Industry lobbyists are fighting to undermine the adoption of zero-emissions technologies like electric vehicles, and instead promoting carve outs for natural gas and continuing dependence on fossil fuels. There is nothing “clean” about natural gas, and the analysis of the climate impacts associated with natural gas at all stages of development — from drilling and processing to transporting and combusting — just keeps getting worse. Methane (the main component of natural gas) is 84 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide in the short term. Leaks, venting and flaring of natural gas are also responsible for a range of other public health and pollution issues. Oil and gas supply chain methane emissions were 16 million metric tons in 2019, enough wasted gas to fuel 10 million homes, and adding natural gas vehicles to California roads will contribute to the state’s ozone and climate problems.

The California Natural Gas Vehicles Coalition is working to create a new definition of “near-zero emission” vehicles to delay the state’s transition to a zero-emission economy. The carve-out at SCAQMD is part of a broader, coordinated industry effort led by SoCalGas and others to repackage natural gas as a clean alternative and maintain robust markets for fossil fuels despite the need to reduce emissions to tackle ozone pollution and climate change. 

 Last year, Los Angeles and Long Beach officials considered a new policy to require zero-pollution electric trucks to replace diesel trucks at their ports, and decided to allow “near-zero emission” trucks (defined as natural gas trucks) after public testimony from local residents promoting the “near-zero” options. An investigation after the decision revealed that the residents had been paid to testify by a firm hired by the natural gas industry. One resident who was told she was part of “environmental campaign” grew suspicious after she “was paid to hand out pamphlets featuring the logo of the nation’s largest gas utility, Southern California Gas Company, which is often referred to as SoCalGas.”

SoCalGas was recently fined close to $10 million by the California Public Utilities Commission for misusing consumer money to undermine the state’s climate goals. And despite a shift in corporate rhetoric around climate, the company still plans to rely on methane-intensive natural gas for 80 percent of its energy in 2045.

It is time for SCAQMD to deliver on its critical mission to protect Californians from the health and climate impacts of air pollution, develop a strong Air Plan, and commit to doing its part to help the state achieve a zero-emission economy and reject oil and gas industry influence meant to keep our state tied to burning fossil fuels.

The Climate Accountability Campaign is committed to daylight how the oil and gas industry is contributing to a rigged system in Sacramento and delaying real action by trying to create special deals for themselves.