oil and gas

Calendar note: WhatMatters is taking a break from work for the Labor Day holiday and will return to your inboxes on Tuesday, Sept. 5. It looks like Aliso Canyon can ramp up operations after all. On Thursday, the state’s five-member Public Utilities Commission unanimously voted to increase the capacity of the natural gas storage facility […]

California continues to rely on Aliso Canyon's natural gas to stabilize the power grid. Utility regulators should instead be looking to transmission line projects that link Southern California to planned solar and wind farms, helping reduce the state's dependence on gas.

From CalMatters health reporter Kristen Hwang:  If Gov. Gavin Newsom was hoping amendments introduced to his mental health overhaul last week would sufficiently appease critics, Tuesday’s back-to-back committee hearings only revealed how much further he has to go to reach a compromise. The big idea: Newsom wants counties to prioritize behavioral health spending on homeless […]

Three fossil fuel plants will stand by to provide emergency power for three more years despite California's mandate to switch to clean energy by 2045.

From CalMatters’ state Capitol reporter Alexei Koseff: Californians have a legal right to “information concerning the conduct of the people’s business,” but actually getting those public records is easier said than done. In the past few months alone, a former employee of the San Jose mayor’s office sued the city for “perpetually extending its own […]

Since 2011, 80% of the credits issued by a California program aiming to reduce pollution have gone to biogas and biofuel projects that have their own environmental drawbacks. Meanwhile, communities near oil refineries and dairies suffer the brunt of the impact from ongoing emissions.

Recent California elections have imparted a valuable lesson to industries unable get their way with the Legislature: Stop a new law from taking effect by forcing it onto the ballot, and then convincing voters to reject it. Defenders of those laws have learned a lesson, too: The best defense is a good offense. So public […]

Idle and orphaned oil wells pose not just a public health risk but could cost an estimated $21.5 billion to clean up. California lawmakers can take several steps to ensure taxpayers are not forced to cover the tab.

To help close a $31.5 billion deficit, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature are considering cuts to key climate programs. As an alternative, environmental advocates are asking leaders to instead slash subsidies for oil and gas corporations.

In their twice-a-year exercise, legislators killed hundreds of California bills in the process known as the suspense file. They included ones on abortion access, climate and homelessness. The state budget deficit also made an impact.