My family and I just got back from a summer camping trip in our new-to-us RV. It was the kind of trip that reminds you why we live in California — stunning scenery, time to slow down, and lots of laughter and memories made together. But before we even hit the road, we got a harsh reminder of how tough things have gotten: $200 at the gas pump didn’t even fill the tank.
That kind of price isn’t sustainable, not for us, or for the millions of hardworking California families trying to make ends meet. This isn’t just about road trips. It’s about getting to work, getting your kids to school, and putting food on the table. The biggest “sustainability” problem with gasoline right now? The cost. And it’s hurting real people, every day.
The governor has made plenty of noise about lowering fuel costs, but here we are, once again, halfway through summer with some of the highest gas prices in the country. Two refineries are going offline, and instead of action, we’re getting more finger-pointing, more political commissions, and more ideas that haven’t worked.
Why isn’t the strategy working? Because it’s being driven by far-left environmental extremism. Some of the loudest voices in Sacramento want to ban fossil fuels immediately — no transition, no middle ground, and no thought to the consequences.
That’s not leadership. That’s reckless and it’s driving up energy costs while pushing working families out of the state.
To be clear, I want cleaner energy. I want my daughter to grow up breathing clean air and living in a state that leads the way on innovation. But we can’t get there by ignoring affordability and common sense.
Just a few weeks ago, I supported a Democratic bill that would set up the regulatory framework for carbon (sequestration and) capture, a tool that could help California get closer to its climate goals without crippling our economy. But guess who fought it? The same environmental lobby that claims to care about the planet. They opposed it tooth and nail.
They even oppose natural gas, one of the cleanest-burning, most efficient energy sources we have today.
So what’s the real agenda? For some, it seems to be shutting down every viable energy option until we’re left with blackouts and $7 gas. That’s not a climate plan, that’s a crisis plan.
What we need is innovation, not ideology. We need to make room for technologies that lower emissions and lower costs. That’s why I’m proud to co-chair the California Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group committed to practical solutions. Our bill, Assembly Bill 30, is a perfect example. AB 30 would allow for a cleaner, more affordable fuel blend that’s easier to produce and that translates to lower gas prices at the pump. It’s not flashy, it’s not extreme, but it works. And it’s the kind of policy that California should be leading on.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this as I read Ezra Klein’s book “Abundance.” And yes, I’m a Republican quoting Ezra Klein. But he makes a good point: If we want a better future, we have to build. We have to produce. We have to solve problems, not just ban things and hope for the best.
California used to be a place of abundance. Now it’s becoming a state of scarcity — scarcity of affordable fuel, scarce housing, scarce water storage, scarce power during heat waves. This situation is the result of bad policy and bad leadership.
Let’s stop pretending that California has to choose between clean energy and affordable living. We can do both. We just need the political will to resist the extremists and embrace policies that support our environment and the economy.
Summer should be about road trips, family time and freedom, not stressing over a $200 gas bill.
It’s time to stop playing politics and start fueling the future with solutions that work.
Suzette Martinez Valladares represents most of the Santa Clarita Valley in the state Senate.“Right, Here Right Now” appears Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans.
