The NYT is reporting that a petition drive to delay the implementation of climate legislation in California until state unemployment falls to 5.5% or less for four consecutive quarters is being bankrolled by Texas oil companies. The reason (in part): “A Valero spokesman, Bill Day, said costs would rise at the company’s two large refineries in California under the new emissions law because refineries use a lot of electricity and natural gas to heat and refine crude oil. Electricity prices would go up under the law, he said, and the consumption of natural gas produces carbon emissions that would be penalized under the legislation.”
