POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Did Newsom ‘forcing’ closure of California refineries cause US gas prices to spike?
The Claim A viral social media post, shared by Timothy Wilcox, a former Connecticut gubernatorial candidate, claimed that California Governor Gavin Newsom was responsible for forcing the closure of...
The Claim
A viral social media post, shared by Timothy Wilcox, a former Connecticut gubernatorial candidate, claimed that California Governor Gavin Newsom was responsible for forcing the closure of four oil refineries in the state, which in turn caused a significant rise in U.S. gas prices. The post, originally published on Facebook on September 17, 2026, stated: “The price of gas is caused by California forcing the shut down of 4 oil refineries, not Iran war. The blame lies with Newsom.” Similar claims were echoed by other users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), who suggested that Newsom’s policies were the primary factor behind the surge in fuel costs.
Wilcox’s post specifically cited the closure of the Marathon refinery in Martinez, the Phillips 66 locations in Rodeo and Los Angeles, and Valero’s Benicia refinery as evidence. These claims gained traction online, prompting Snopes to investigate whether the closures were indeed forced by Newsom and whether they had a measurable impact on national gas prices.
The Details & Investigation
According to verified sources, only two California refineries—Phillips 66’s Los Angeles Refinery and Valero’s Benicia Refinery—closed in the past 12 months, not four as claimed. The Los Angeles Refinery ceased crude oil processing in October 2025, while the Benicia Refinery closed in April 2026. Both closures were attributed to operational decisions made by the respective companies, not by direct government intervention. Phillips 66’s spokesperson explicitly denied that any new state regulations or Newsom’s actions influenced the decision to close the Los Angeles facility. Similarly, Valero cited high maintenance costs and state regulations as contributing factors, but no evidence suggests these closures were mandated by the governor’s office.
Analysts from the Institute for Energy Research, GasBuddy, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) have consistently pointed to the Iran war and global geopolitical tensions as the primary drivers of rising U.S. gas prices in 2026. Data from the EIA shows that nationwide fuel prices spiked dramatically in the weeks following the beginning of the conflict in late February 2026, mirroring the price increases observed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These trends suggest that the Iranian conflict, rather than refinery closures, was the main catalyst for the price surge.
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Moreover, both Phillips 66 and Valero executives acknowledged during earnings calls that their decisions to close refineries were driven by financial considerations, including low profitability and high operational costs. For example, Phillips 66’s executive vice president of refining, Richard Harbison, noted that the company faced “very low” earnings at the Los Angeles Refinery, making the closure a business decision. Valero’s CEO, Lane Riggs, also emphasized that the Benicia refinery’s closure was due to its high maintenance costs and the challenging regulatory environment in California. No evidence links these closures to any specific policy enacted by Newsom.
Additionally, the claim that four refineries were shut down in California is misleading. While the Marathon refinery in Martinez and the Phillips 66 plant in Rodeo were previously active, they had already ceased crude oil processing before 2026. The Rodeo refinery stopped operations in February 2024, and the Martinez site had been idle since 2020 due to pandemic-related demand drops. These closures predated the current spike in gas prices and were not part of the 2026 controversy.
The Verdict
The claim that Governor Gavin Newsom forced the closure of four California refineries, which led to a spike in U.S. gas prices, is FALSE. Only two refineries—Phillips 66’s Los Angeles and Valero’s Benicia—closed in the relevant timeframe, and their closures were business decisions based on financial and operational factors, not government mandates. Furthermore, the primary cause of the gas price increase in 2026 was the Iran war and its impact on global oil markets, not the closure of a small number of refineries in California.
This viral claim represents a case of MISINFORMATION, as it misrepresents the number of refineries closed and incorrectly attributes the rise in gas prices to Newsom’s policies. While some analysts have criticized California’s environmental regulations and high gas taxes, these factors do not constitute a direct cause of the national price spike. The narrative surrounding Newsom’s role in the crisis lacks verifiable evidence and relies on selective data and unverified assertions.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
