Free Republic

If the United States is the world’s largest oil producer—in fact, if we are energy independent—then why are we still at the mercy of global events? And how can prices spike instantly when the gasoline in the tank was made from cheaper oil weeks ago? People like easy answers, such as “corporate greed.” That is emotionally satisfying, but it doesn’t tell the full story. What’s happening is a function of global markets, supply chain realities, and predictable patterns in consumer behavior. In fact, much of what we’re seeing is exactly how the system is designed to work. The U.S. leads...

The Trump administration on Wednesday waived regulations on the types of gasoline that are sold during the summer in an effort to ease surging fuel prices during the Iran war. The Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency waiver to lift restrictions on the sale of E15 gas, a fuel blended with 15% ethanol. The sale of E15 is restricted from June through September due to regulations designed to reduce air pollution. The EPA also issued a waiver to remove all federal impediments to selling E10 gas, which is blended with 10% ethanol. The waivers will take effect on May 1.

More than 500 service stations across Australia are now without one or more types of fuel, according to the federal government, despite fuel continuing to flow into the country. In a state-by-state update before federal parliament on Tuesday, March 24, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said that New South Wales had the highest number of affected sites, with at least 289 service stations without either diesel or petrol, including 164 out of diesel specifically. In Victoria, 162 service stations had run out of one or more fuel types, with Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio telling ABC Radio...

Democrats are furious that President Donald Trump took action against Iran with Operation Epic Fury. But one of the things that you wouldn't hear from them is how his action puts paid to one of their favorite fictions about Trump - the Russia collusion fiction, that Trump is somehow in the pocket of Russia. Well, he's pounding one of their principal allies, which he would not do if he were in Putin's pocket. So once again, the Democrat narrative gets blown up. Trump said he was in talks with an Iranian leader that were productive, and for that reason, he...

Oil pumping operations are expected to begin imminently off the coast of California after President Trump issued an executive order Friday to resume oil drilling operations near Santa Barbara, The Post has learned. Officials for Sable Offshore Corp. informed local fire officials of their intent to “resume pumping operations within 24 hours.” The notification is a standard protocol for industrial activities involving hazardous materials pipelines. “This coordination allows the department to maintain readiness for potential emergency response, including resource staging, personnel alerting, and collaboration with other agencies, in the event of any incident such as a leak, spill, or fire,”...

This morning I went to buy gas in Los Angeles. The price at the pump per gallon was as follows:Unleaded ... $5.3999Plus ... $5.4999Premium ... $5.5999Yet some people here are complaining about gas in their states being $3.50 or $3.60.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced America First Refining (AFR) is opening the first new U.S. oil refinery in nearly half a century in Brownsville, Texas. Situated in a massive deep-water foreign trade zone, the project will leverage advanced infrastructure and strategic rail and sea connections to transport low-carbon fuels and other energy products. "America is returning to REAL ENERGY DOMINANCE!" Trump wrote in an announcement on Truth Social. "THIS IS A HISTORIC $300 BILLION DOLLAR DEAL — THE BIGGEST IN U.S. HISTORY, A MASSIVE WIN for American Workers, Energy, and the GREAT People of South Texas!"

One of the concerns about the military action against Iran is whether it would put the transport of oil in danger regarding things like traversing the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the global energy supply moves. The Trump administration had the national average gas price down below $3.00 a gallon, but due to those concerns gas prices rose last week. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright hit the Sunday shows to reassure people that the spike would be temporary. Here's what he said to Fox's Shannon Bream:.@SecretaryWright: "The plan is to get oil, and natural gas, and...

Military action in Iran is starting to impact prices at the pump as Americans have seen gas prices rise since strikes began in the Middle East on Saturday. We're keeping track of gas prices in California. The Get the Facts Data Team put together a map that shows what prices look like in your area using data provided by AAA. The map updates once a day early in the morning. You can view the map below. Crude oil prices in the U.S. have spike since Feb. 26 when it was tracked at about $65 per barrel. Want to see how...

As gas prices continue climbing in California — already the highest in the nation — residents are increasingly venting their frustration at Gov. Gavin Newsom, accusing him and Sacramento of piling on policies and “taxing us to death.” The backlash centers on draft regulations tied to the state’s Cap-and-Invest program, overseen by the California Air Resources Board, which sets a statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions and requires major polluters to purchase allowances for each ton of carbon they emit. Critics say tightening those caps — strongly backed by Newsom — could further drive up the cost of gasoline and...

CAIRO (AP) — A Russian-flagged tanker carrying liquefied natural gas exploded and erupted in flames before sinking in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya, authorities in the North African country said Wednesday. No casualties were reported.The tanker was under Western sanctions, suspected to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet of energy tankers trying to bypass sanctions imposed on Moscow over its war in Ukraine. The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. According to the Libyan Maritime Authority, there was a “sudden explosions, followed by a massive fire” on the Arctic Metagaz on Tuesday while the LNG...

SNIP “Average gas prices in California have stayed below $5 for nearly two years. Trump’s new war is already rattling markets. We’re watching this space. Closely,” Newsom’s press office wrote on X, sparking derision from many. “Time to school the Pajama Boy who runs this account for the Gov – because this isn’t the flex on Trump he thinks it is,” the US Oil & Gas Association, a nonprofit trade association for the domestic oil and natural gas industry, wrote in response before taking the Democrat to task over what it branded Newsom’s mismanagement of California’s natural resources. SNIP California...

US think tank alleges Tehran used banned chemical agents during December unrest, urging international probe as Washington expands sanctions targeting Iran’s oil trade, missile and drone networks ahead of Geneva talks. Itamar Eichner|02.26.26 A new report published overnight Wednesday in the United States is urging the international community to investigate whether Iran’s government used chemical weapons to suppress anti-government protests that erupted in December and led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Iranians. The report, published by Fox News and authored by the Washington-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, raises concerns about what it describes as...

In America’s most populous state, a self-inflicted energy crisis is brewing—one that threatens not just California’s economy but the nation’s security. Governor Gavin Newsom’s aggressive push toward Net Zero emissions by 2045 has accelerated the decline of the state’s oil and gas industry, leading to refinery closures, skyrocketing fuel prices, and increased reliance on foreign imports. This vulnerability exposes California—and by extension, the U.S.—to geopolitical risks from unstable oil suppliers like Brazil, Iraq, and Ecuador. But there’s a viable solution on the horizon: new pipelines from Texas that could deliver domestic gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, bolstering energy independence while...

Chaos in California: Hundreds of gas stations have shuttered statewide overnight amid skyrocketing operating costs, chronic supply shortages, and relentless regulatory pressures—forcing long lines, rationing fears, and a statewide fuel panic that has drivers scrambling and businesses grinding to a halt. Governor Gavin Newsom is reportedly losing control as the crisis spirals, with independents and major chains alike pulling out rather than face unviable margins in the high-tax, high-regulation environment. This video delivers Kevin O'Leary's no-mercy breakdown: this isn't random bad luck—it's a textbook case of policy suicide, where punishing energy infrastructure and chasing green mandates has backfired spectacularly, torching...

I’ve covered Washington government for years. I understand rounding errors. I get that numbers shift, estimates change, projections don’t always pan out. That’s bureaucracy. That’s life. And then the Department of Commerce dropped a bombshell. Washington drivers are paying billions more at the pump. For what, exactly? The national average for gas is $2.82 a gallon. Idaho is $2.80. Oregon is $3.39. Washington? We’re at $3.82 statewide. In Seattle, it’s $4.12. We have the third-highest gas prices in the entire country. Washington families have paid billions more at the pump since the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) took effect. Before the...

The gas pump has emerged as a rare source of relief for Americans drowning in higher prices — and that positive trend is expected to continue in 2026, regardless of the uncertainty in Venezuela. Gas prices are projected to average just $2.97 a gallon nationally this year, according to forecasts from fuel savings platform GasBuddy. If that forecast, shared first with CNN, proves accurate, 2026 will be the fourth straight year of falling prices at the pump and the first with the annual average below $3 a gallon since 2020. It’s a far cry from 2022, when the gas pump...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made a joint statement this evening following a trilateral meeting in Jerusalem. Prime Minister Netanyahu began: "This is not our first meeting. It's our tenth meeting. But I said in our discussions that I think it's the most consequential. The last time the three of us met was a short time before the October 7th massacre, before terror once again reminded us that stability in this region is never guaranteed, and that strength, clarity and cooperation are not options. They are a must." "The Middle...

1) Republican push: cut/suspend fuel taxes and “hidden” regulatory costsState-level GOP bills: Republican legislators have repeatedly introduced measures to suspend or roll back fuel-tax increases or reduce regulatory cost add-ons, but these efforts have generally failed in Democrat-controlled committees/chambers. Federal pressure: Some California Republican members of Congress have urged the Governor to suspend scheduled state fuel tax increases and pause implementation of certain CARB policies they argue raise prices at the pump. 2) Democratic/administration posture: don’t cut fuel taxes; manage markets + pursue climate policyNo major move to reduce state fuel taxes: Democratic leadership and the Governor have not pursued...

NEW YORK — Exxon Mobil said Friday that it will wind down a drilling project in Russia in compliance with U.S. sanctions, but said it received a license to keep working beyond the sanctions' deadline in order to complete the work. U.S. sanctions against Russia over its involvement in the Ukraine require the removal of U.S. workers on projects in the Russian Arctic and other select locations by September 26.