How a small change in a state climate program will hurt Central Valley communities | Opinion
The cost of living in California is at an all-time high, and making fuel more expensive will make it even harder to live here.
Our community might not know about California’s plans to update the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, the climate program first installed nearly 20 years ago. It’s well known that climate programs increase the cost of doing business for energy companies, and Californians pay more as a result.
Now, bigger and more expensive changes are coming; and since late last year, the state’s clean air agency has said these new changes will produce even more cost increases. News reports and agency staff have made clear that companies will have to buy more emissions credits — which means prices go up for consumers. Again, California’s climate goals are paid for by California families.
These types of changes hurt communities like mine. My hometown of Avenal is like many other rural cities: When gas prices go up, we get hit harder than higher-income communities. Our median household annual income is under $29,000 (compared to nearly $39,000 in nearby Hanford).
When programs like the Low Carbon Fuel Standard were designed, politicians wanted to encourage Californians to use more renewable and alternative fuel sources. Those changes come with a price, which, in the case of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, has added up to between 10 to 12 cents on each gallon of gasoline sold. The latest set of new proposed changes will not only make the program more stringent, it will also increase fuel prices as the costs of doing business for gas and diesel companies goes up.
We’re talking about an expected increase of as much as 52 cents per gallon by 2025, according to the California Air Resources Board.
As a San Joaquin Valley Air District board member, I know that air pollution is an important issue for our residents. We all want clean air and healthy communities. But when blanket policies are made without considering the economic needs of communities, it is a disservice to them.
Although the local economy of Avenal primarily depends on agriculture, the establishment of petroleum oil and gas in the late 1920s has been a significant factor in the growth of our community for decades. As an agricultural hub, we rely heavily on gas-powered equipment, often requiring long commutes or driving throughout the day. The availability of affordable gas is crucial to sustaining these industries and the livelihoods of their workers.
California’s Central Valley is a unique region. Our neighbors reflect the diversity of our state. While our community helps to bring food to the nation, income levels remain low, and poverty rates are higher than the state average.
Vast distances between communities also mean that reliable transportation is needed. In Avenal, most of our households have at least two vehicles. Fuel costs must remain low to ensure families can get to work without breaking the bank. Fifty cents might not mean much to someone in San Francisco or Santa Monica, but it means a great deal to the families and businesses here.
Our community has firsthand experience with the realities of extreme weather and the impacts of climate change. We want a sustainable future where our families and loved ones can thrive. But our vision for that future is one where our families can afford to stay in their homes and live in the community they grew up in.
A truly sustainable path forward will include equitable solutions that work for everyone.
California’s leaders can’t leave communities like ours behind in the name of progress. The impact of these proposed changes is too high and too expensive. If climate programs are hurting more than they are helping, they don’t work.