While state and local leaders chart the economic recovery from COVID-19, Californians for Energy Independence is reminding policymakers that in-state energy production provides thousands of jobs and billions in tax

While activists continue to call for California to keep its energy resources in the ground, all levels of government have declared the oil and natural gas supply chain as critical infrastructure necessary to power essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As activists clamor for an expansion of oil and gas setback regulations statewide, they ignore government studies that disprove their false narratives on health impacts.

State agencies in Sacramento have moved to restrict in-state production, forcing California – which already imports 70% of the oil it uses every day – to depend even more heavily on foreign sources of oil.

Experts argue the state’s moves to limit supply will be ineffective and only result in greater imports of foreign oil.

California imports 70% of the oil it uses every day – and much of it from the Middle East, where escalating conflict has taken 5.7 million barrels of foreign oil production a day offline.

California imports more oil through the Strait of Hormuz – where six tankers have been attacked in recent weeks – than it produces in-state, leaving the state’s consumers and businesses vulnerable.

Much like radical activists, Rep. Ro Khanna pushed rhetorical illusion while providing zero evidence for false and unproven claims.

Critics point to jurisdictions outside California when pressing for setbacks but their arguments fail to account for key differences in regulations and production techniques.