California Energy Journal Weekly
For the week September 15, 2025 to September 22, 2025
This weekly newsletter will highlight the latest from the California Energy Journal along with links to articles and analysis on key developments in California energy policy.
From the California Energy Journal
Newsom Signs Suite of Energy Bills Into Law (September 22, 2025) – Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of five climate and energy bills aimed at stabilizing the gasoline market and reducing electricity prices. The bills aim to increase oil and gas production, extend the state’s cap-and-trade program, authorize California to join a regional energy market, establish air pollution monitoring programs in heavily polluted communities, and replenish and revise the state’s wildfire liability fund. Read more.
Court Denies Sable Request for Immediate Permit Transfer; Orders Public Hearing (September 15, 2025) – A federal judge denied Sable Offshore Corp.’s request that Santa Barbara County immediately transfer the permits to operate the Santa Ynez Unit from Exxon to Sable. The judge then ordered the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to hold on public hearing on the matter. Read more.
Santa Barbara District Attorney Files Criminal Charges Against Sable (September 18, 2025) – The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges on September 16, 2025 against Sable Offshore Corp. for discharging pollutants into local creeks and waterways in violation of the Fish and Game Code and the Water Code. The charges are related to excavation activities during work on the Las Flores pipeline system. The District Attorney filed the charges in People of the State of California v. Sable Offshore Corp. in the Superior Court for the County of Santa Barbara. Arraignment in this case will be on November 4, 2025. Read more.
Additional News
Oil and Gas
California Resources expects to be a major participant in the 2,000 new annual permits and have their own staff ready to go. “We have permits ready to be filed, some of the already have been filed,” CEO Francisco Leon said. Bloomberg (September 15, 2025).
The world’s oil and gasfields are declining at a faster rate than thought, leaving the energy sector facing a costly battle to maintain output, the International Energy Agency said. FT (September 16, 2025).
Wind and Solar
California is using voter-approved funding from the California climate bond and other efforts to support wind development after the Trump administration canceled nearly half a billion dollars in federal funding for the state’s largest offshore wind project. Los Angeles Times (September 18, 2025).
A federal judge ruled that the Revolution Wind project halted by the administration can resume, dealing President Donald Trump a setback in his ongoing effort to restrict the fledgling industry. AP Reuters (September 22, 2025)
U.S. officials consistently failed to comply with federal regulations when reviewing applications for wind and solar projects on public lands, according to a government audit by the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General. Reuters (September 18, 2025).
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said freezing offshore wind projects doesn’t make the United States a risky place to invest, but he wants Congress to overhaul permitting to make other infrastructure easier to advance. Axios (September 22, 2025).
Power and Utilities
U.S. electricity prices hit record highs in 2025, defying Donald Trump’s pledge to halve consumers’ power bills within a year of the president returning to office. The price jumps will have a political impact, analysts said. FT (September 17, 2025).
Critical Minerals
The U.S. government is in talks to set up a multibillion-dollar fund for overseas mining projects with investment firm Orion Resource Partners, as the United States seeks to counter Chinese dominance of critical minerals. FT (September 16, 2025).
EVs
California will not backfill a $7,500 federal tax credit for buyers of electric vehicles that is set to expire this month, Governor Gavin Newsom said. The state will support expanding EV infrastructure. Bloomberg (September 19, 2025).
Renewable Energy
JPMorgan believes the global energy transition is going ahead, fracturing old trade alliances and generating new forms of geopolitical leverage that all companies need to be more attuned to. Semafor (September 16, 2025)
Carbon
California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York are leading a state efforts to fight against the Trump administration’s efforts to repeal the endangerment finding, which provides the legal basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. CT Mirror (September 17, 2025).
The EPA plan to end GHG reporting would hurt carbon capture efforts, according to the Carbon Capture Coalition. Utility Dive (September 15, 2025).
Per capita carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption fell in every state from 2005 to 2023, primarily due to less coal being burned, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Utility Dive (September 17, 2025).
Exxon Mobil’s CEO has called for the EU to revoke its corporate sustainability due diligence directive, or CSDDD, and said it could push U.S. businesses out of Europe. Reuters (September 18, 2025).
Interesting Reads
Christiana Figueres and Adair Turner, “Why our clean-energy future depends on emerging economies,” Reuters, (September 18, 2025).
“California’s Great Climate Backfire,” WSJ, September 19, 2025.
Kelly Trombley, “With climate and clean energy policy under attack, California just doubled down on leadership,” Reuters, September 22, 2025.
Allyson Chiu, “He got an entire country running on clean energy. Can he do it again?,” Washington Post, September 21, 2025.
David Uberti, Ed Ballard, Brian Spegele, “The U.S. Is Forfeiting the Clean-Energy Race to China,” WSJ, September 21, 2025.
Michael Shellenberger, « Nuclear Split Us Apart. Now, It’s Bringing Us Together,” Public, September 16, 2025.
Mark McNees, “California has set the standard for how not to do renewable energy,” The Hill, September 15, 2025.
Michael Mische, “California faces a self-created oil and gas crisis. Lawmakers should consider these steps next,” CalMatters, September 16, 2025.
“Powering California’s Economy amid the Energy Transition,” PPIC, September 17, 2025.
“5 ways California can meet rising AI power demand,” Stanford Report, September 18, 2025.
Dan Walters, “How Gavin Newsom channeled Jerry Brown 1.0 with his flip-flop on oil and gas,” CalMatters, September 18, 2025.
Ted Nordhaus and Alex Trembath, “Quiet Climate Policy Is Dead. Long Live All of the Above Energy Policy.,” Breakthrough Journal, September 19, 2025.
Deborah Sivas, “Why fast-tracking oil drilling in California won’t lower prices at the pump,” CalMatters, September 16, 2025.
Collin Eaton and Ryan Dezember, “California Wants to Halt Oil Industry Exodus After Years of Climate Focus,” WSJ, September 18, 2025.