California’s low carbon fuel standard may receive an update. On Nov. 8, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will vote on this update. The goal is to improve the state’s air quality while lowering carbon emissions and making room for other fuel sources like electricity.
CARB’s mission is to promote and protect public health by effectively reducing air pollution to maintain California’s air quality standards. The board is voting to update the state’s low-carbon fuel standards. They acknowledge that this change will affect gas prices, but their statements remain inconsistent.
KCRA 3 news reporter Ashley Zavala has reported live about how the board ignored requests for an interview regarding the upcoming vote and how the board’s statements about gas price concerns lack clarity.
“Last year, they said it could be up to 47 cents, but last month, the board told lawmakers possibly 8 to 10 cents. And now they’re saying there’s no direct connection between the standards and gas prices, and they won’t talk about it,” Zavala said.
These standards will have a financial impact on the oil and gas industries. CARB needs to be more transparent about what this will mean for the tens of millions of drivers of gas-powered vehicles.
The confusion has prompted Assemblyman Joe Patterson and Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher to write a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, urging him to prevent a rise in gas prices resulting from disruptions in the state’s fuel market.
Patterson expressed concern about how California residents already pay extreme prices compared to other states and that further disruptions would pose a serious concern for many families in California.
“California drivers are already paying some of the highest gas prices in the country – they can’t afford any more disruptions to our fuel supply. It’s time to make affordability a priority,” Patterson said.
Alyssa Lockwood, sophomore behavioral science major from Indiana, has experienced both high and low gas prices. Her stance on this topic stems from the minimum wage and the importance of the environment.
“As someone coming from a state where the minimum wage per hour is $7.25 and gas in my town costs $2.70 per gallon, it seems that is an adequate price point. Putting into consideration the wages in California being $16 per hour and $20 for fast food workers and having paid $4.09 per gallon for gas here recently seems proportional for a California resident,” Lockwood said. “Ultimately, I do believe it is an expensive price to pay, but it is a nonrenewable resource, further meaning something will eventually need to replace gasoline. I think it is important to consider our environment, especially sooner rather than later, so that our future generations have an opportunity to make a difference as well.”
Officials scheduled the vote three days after the presidential election in Riverside. It is unclear what will happen regarding California’s low carbon fuel standard. With the inconsistent responses from the board, it is difficult to predict how high gas prices will rise with this updated standard.
