Contact: 

Blake Marquez, Blake@sunstonestrategies.org
Isa Flores-Jones, ifloresjones@apenaction.org

Industry spending disclosures reveal that Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and Chevron outspent the other 4000+ registered California lobbyists 2025’s first half

Sacramento, CA — The oil industry is orchestrating a full-scale shakedown of California.

In the first half of 2025, the oil industry and its lobbying arm spent over $18 million to kill key climate legislation, protect its profits, and block efforts to hold it accountable — all while communities suffer from rising costs, pollution, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. The over $18 million figure puts the oil industry on pace for its second highest lobbying and influence spend of all time in California, trailing only behind last year’s final total of $38 million and well ahead of the previous record of $26.2 million in 2017.

Influence spending disclosure reports for the second quarter released for the August 1 deadline show that the industry’s spending binge includes multimillion-dollar misinformation campaigns designed to blame climate policies for high prices — when it’s really Big Oil’s own actions that are driving up costs. From gouging consumers at the pump to suddenly shutting down refineries and squeezing supply, fossil fuel corporations are manipulating the scarcity they created to lobby for further bailouts in the form of deregulation, subsidies, and unlimited oil drilling.

Top 6 lobbying and influence spenders (Jan – June 2025):

Chevron and the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) were the top spenders for the oil industry and the state at-large during this period, disclosure records show. WSPA represents companies such as the refiner Valero and other major oil producers and refiners like Chevron, the latter of which funneled $100,000 to WSPA lobbying during the second quarter. Rounding out the top six spenders is Sable Offshore – an ExxonMobil offshoot aiming to restart its legacy offshore oil drilling unit along California’s Central Coast after the platform caused one of the largest offshore oil spills in state history in 2015. The company’s spending has launched it into the top six despite only lobbying between April 2025 and June 2025.

All five aggressively lobbied against SB 684, the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Bill, and SB 222, the Climate Disaster Liability Bill — legislation aimed at holding fossil fuel companies accountable for pollution, protecting workers and communities during refinery transitions, and stopping corporate price gouging. PBF Energy disclosed lobbying on “refinery retention issues,” while Marathon Refinery disclosed lobbying on at-berth rules overseen by regulatory authorities requiring oil mega-tankers to reduce emissions while docked at ports.

“Big Oil has spent millions to rewrite the rules for its own gain —rules that would keep communities of color sick, polluted, and stuck paying the price for these giveaways,” said Faraz Rizvi, Campaign and Policy Manager Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN). “We need lawmakers to reject this ransom effort. Big polluters should estimate cleanup cost estimates for their transition plans up front, ahead of closure. Otherwise, there’s nothing to stop Big Oil from repeating the same play next session.”

While the oil industry spends millions lobbying lawmakers across the state, advocates warn that draft bill language circulated in July by the Governor’s office would punch holes in California’s climate and health progress. If implemented, the proposal would scrap environmental quality review and the required financial assurances to protect against abandoned, toxin-filled orphan wells, allowing for unlimited drilling.

“They’re closing down refineries, squeezing supply, and then pressing their advantage to expand statewide drilling,” said Dan Ress with Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment. “This is a shakedown of California taxpayers disguised as a policy debate. By slashing critical environmental review and mitigation, the most recent proposal from the Governor’s administration is a straight giveaway to Big Oil – no strings attached. Instead, we need targeted interventions to ensure a stable short-term supply paired with long-term planning for a worker- and community-led transition to a sustainable economy.”

Communities on the frontlines — in Los Angeles, the Central Valley, and the Central Coast — have long borne the brunt of fossil fuel pollution. Now they’re being hit again: first by abrupt refinery shutdowns, and now by industry-led efforts to lock in another decade of extraction and delay a clean energy transition that would benefit everyone.

Meanwhile, frontline communities are fighting back. This summer, advocates have mounted lobby days, launched counter-ad campaigns, and demanded that Governor Newsom and state lawmakers side with people over polluters. The Stop the Oil Shakedown Coalition has called for oil supply stabilization, no bailouts for the oil industry, and transparent, full disclosure of refinery shut-down and cleanup costs to prevent further shakedowns. 

“We need real solutions — not another decade of dirty deals,” said Martha Dina Argüello, Executive Director at Physicians for Social Responsibility LA. “The oil industry wants unlimited drilling with no cleanup obligations, forcing communities to shoulder the health and climate costs while they pocket the profits. Then they turn around and blame the very communities that need protection. Californians deserve better than fear tactics and fossil-fueled excuses.”

Additional information on Q2 lobbying activity is available upon request.

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