A Denver suburb voted to ban new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gasoline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gas stations</a> from being built in the name of combatting climate change.
The city council of Louisville, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/colorado" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Colorado</a>, about 30 minutes north of Denver and 20 minutes East of Boulder, voted unanimously to approve a city ordinance that would cap the number of gas stations allowed in the city at 6, meaning just one more gas station would be allowed. But that new gas station, and any other that are built under the cap must meet strict requirements.
The <a href="https://www.louisvilleco.gov/home/showdocument?id=38007&amp;t=638146512206382035">ordinance</a> limits the number of gas or automobile service stations within the city limits to 6, including existing gas stations and other approved by the city council but not yet built. The cap may increased to 7, but only if a large retail center – like a Sam’s Club or a Costco – builds a store of 80,000 or more square feet that includes a gas station as an accessory.
The ordinance also imposes strict limits on planning approvals. Approvals expire if a building permit is not issued within 36 months. If a gas station closes for 12 months, then a new plan must be submitted that meets current city standards. The city will only review new plans for gas stations if there are less than 6 stations.
Furthermore, any new gas stations must be built further than 1000 feet away from an existing station, though that rule can be waived if the station belongs to a retail center. A newly-built station, or an expansion to an existing one, must include building electric vehicle charging stations; equal to about 20% the total number of gas pumps at the station, but no less than two.
A report accompanying the ordinance said that one of the reasons behind the move was to encourage more electric cars. “Gasoline station bans may also be seen as promoting the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs), thus, reducing vehicle emissions and encouraging low-carbon and cleaner energy options for transportation,” it read. 
But it also admitted that gas cars are still necessary right now. “The proposal for a cap but not a full ban on new gasoline and automobile service stations is in recognition that there will continue to be some demand for gasoline and automobile service stations as more EVs enter the market and gasoline vehicles are transitioned out of the market over time,” the report stated.
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“I don’t think that this is gonna change the world, [and] I don’t think any single action this council or community takes is going to fix climate change,” city council member Maxine Most said during the <a href="https://louisville.ompnetwork.org/embed/sessions/264794/03-21-23-city-council-meeting">comment period</a>.  Tomorrow, we’re not gonna find a solution that’s gonna be like, sweeping, and we’re gonna say, ‘ok, we’re gonna [decarbonize] the city buildings and that’s gonna solve climate change. The majority of climate impact is gonna come from residential and commercial. But I think it’s a really good idea for us to decarbonize because it sends a signal and it sends a message.”
“In 2023, we should not be increasing fossil fuel infrastructure. “It doesn’t make sense,” she continued. “Our state has a plan to be on 100% renewable energy by 2040 … For us to be endorsing investment in technology that we know is at the end of its life doesn’t really make sense … The reason we’re in the climate crisis we’re in is because we have allowed the free market to do what they want.”

Gas pump

Denver Suburb Votes To Ban New Gas Stations From Being Built In The Name Of Combatting Climate Change

Denver Suburb Votes To Put A Cap On Gas Stations In The Name Of Combatting Climate Change

Cars

Climate Change

Colorado

Denver

Electric cars

Gasoline

U.S.

The head of the world&#8217;s largest <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">automaker</a> said this week that he remains skeptical of trying to move to only producing electric vehicles and that the majority of people who work in the auto industry agree with him.
Toyota Motor chief Akio Toyoda made the remarks while speaking to reporters during a visit to Thailand.
“People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority,” Toyoda said. “That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend so they can’t speak out loudly.”
“Because the right answer is still unclear, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to just one option,” he added.
The remarks come as supply chain issues that were sparked by the coronavirus pandemic have continued to make it difficult for manufacturers to get the raw materials needed to make new cars, especially electric vehicles.
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/toyota-president-says-silent-majority-has-doubts-about-pursuing-only-evs-11671372223" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that while some of Toyota&#8217;s rivals have jumped fully on board with electric vehicles — setting future dates at which point their companies would only produce electric vehicles — Toyota has diversified its future product offerings and is focused on making traditional gas cars, hybrids, and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Jack Hollis, Executive Vice President of Sales at Toyota Motor North America, said earlier this year that the company does not believe that the demand for electric vehicles is as high as people think it is.
&#8220;I don’t think the market is ready. I don’t think the infrastructure is ready,&#8221; he <a href="https://electrek.co/2022/08/25/toyota-says-no-ev-demand-try-selling-one-wheels-dont-fall-off/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;And even if you were ready to purchase one, and if you could afford it … (the price is) still too high … It took 25 years to get to less than 10% (market share) for hybrid … The consumer isn’t demanding (EVs) at that level. The consumer is not screaming, ‘30% or 40% by tomorrow.’”
With looming negative economic conditions in the U.S. on the horizon, combined with lowered gas prices, increasing interest rates, and high inflation rates, the market for electric vehicles could take even longer to expand.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has also warned that the transition away from oil and gas is not as easy as people think and that society would be devastated overnight if it tried to stop using fossil fuels.
“At this time, we actually need more oil and gas, not less,” Musk said. “Realistically I think we need to use oil and gas in the short term, because otherwise civilization will crumble. One of the biggest challenges the world has ever faced is the transition to sustainable energy and to a sustainable economy. That will take some decades to complete.”

Toyota and Softbank Joint News Conference

Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda: ‘Silent Majority’ Of Automakers Not Fully Sold On Electric Vehicles

Business

Economy

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> faced intense backlash online Friday after publishing a report that suggested Americans should view a slight dip in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gas-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gas prices</a> as a &#8220;$100-a-month raise&#8221; or a &#8220;$100-a-month tax cut.&#8221;
The national average price of gasoline was $2.38 per gallon when President Joe Biden assumed office, according to the Energy Information Administration, and increased to $3.53 per gallon by the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gas-prices-are-1-50-higher-since-biden-took-office-cnn-business-america-got-a-raise">reported</a>. Prices surpassed $5.00 per gallon in early June before subsiding to $3.92 per gallon as of Friday, according to AAA.
CNN Business senior writer Chris Isidore lauded the decline in gas prices without mentioning that costs remain highly elevated from the level seen less than two years ago.
“Next time you stop at a gas station, think of it as a $100-a-month tax cut. Or a maybe $100-a-month raise,” Isidore wrote. “The steady drop in gas prices over the last few months has turned into an unexpected form of economic stimulus, coming at a time when the Federal Reserve is trying to cool the economy and battle rising prices with higher interest rates.”
Financial analyst Gordon Johnson responded to CNN, &#8220;Next time you stop at a gas station remember prices are STILL up ~90% since @POTUS took office, you are paying in after-tax dollars, and the draining of the SPR in the U.S. ends in Oct, just in time for mid-terms, which will contribute to gas prices going RIGHT BACK UP.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Next time you stop at a gas station remember prices are STILL up ~90% since <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> took office, you are paying in after-tax dollars, and the draining of the SPR in the U.S. ends in Oct, just in time for mid-terms, which will contribute to gas prices going RIGHT BACK UP. <a href="https://t.co/Z5dnQeHUFU">https://t.co/Z5dnQeHUFU</a> <a href="https://t.co/KDyzViUwrV">pic.twitter.com/KDyzViUwrV</a>
&mdash; Gordon Johnson (@GordonJohnson19) <a href="https://twitter.com/GordonJohnson19/status/1560792406236299264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Next time you read anything @CNN says, think of it as shameless propaganda for the @DNC,&#8221; Psychologist Geoffrey Miller responded.
&#8220;Orwellian,&#8221; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) responded. &#8220;Next, CNN is going to try to convince you that 2+2=5. In the meantime — since truth still matters — gas prices are UP nearly 65% since Biden took office.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Orwellian. 
Next, CNN is going to try to convince you that 2+2=5.
In the meantime — since truth still matters—gas prices are UP nearly 65% since Biden took office. <a href="https://t.co/87xwbrKxR2">https://t.co/87xwbrKxR2</a>
&mdash; Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1560712522969260032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Let&#8217;s be clear: The national average price per gallon is $1.52 higher than when Trump left office,&#8221; Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) tweeted. &#8220;That&#8217;s a 64% INCREASE in gas prices under Biden—not a &#8216;cut,&#8217; as CNN wants you to think. No one is falling for the delusional propaganda the radical left is peddling.&#8221;
&#8220;CNN just makes it so easy for its critics,&#8221; Brian Riedl, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, tweeted. &#8220;This is some next level gaslighting.&#8221;
&#8220;This is an apple,&#8221; James Taranto, editorial features editor at The Wall Street Journal, tweeted. &#8220;Think of it as a banana.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is an apple. Think of it as a banana. <a href="https://t.co/z1hlKQNFy2">https://t.co/z1hlKQNFy2</a>
&mdash; James Taranto (@jamestaranto) <a href="https://twitter.com/jamestaranto/status/1561035188033003521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;CNN is state media. Even Fox News isn&#8217;t this partisan,&#8221; Ram Prasad, a behavioral science practitioner, tweeted. &#8220;They should just move one alphabet and call themselves DNN: Democrat News Network.&#8221;
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report.

Damage And Vandalism In Atlanta After Violent Protests

CNN Blasted For Claiming Americans Got ‘$100-A-Month Raise’ Over Slightly Lower Gas Prices: ‘Orwellian’

Biden Administration

Gas Prices

Inflation

A pair of neighboring gas stations in western Virginia have slashed their prices to under $3 a gallon in a &#8220;friendly competition&#8221; to help their community in the face of sky-high gas prices nationwide.
GB and One Stop Mart are two neighboring gas stations on Main Street in Altavista, Virginia, about 25 miles south of Lynchburg and about 120 miles west of Richmond. The two stations have cut prices well below the national and statewide averages as part of an ongoing battle to see which business can offer the lowest price in town. The owners have described the price war as a &#8220;friendly competition&#8221; between two businesses, and as a way to help give back to their community.
&#8220;It&#8217;s&#8230; a good way to give back to the community, even though we&#8217;re going down with the gas prices,&#8221; GB Fuel Manager Andy Gill told Lynchburg-based ABC affiliate <a href="https://wset.com/news/local/friendly-rivalry-gas-stations-fight-cheapest-gas-gb-one-stop-mart-main-street-altavista-andy-gill-fuel-manager-owner-lucinda-davis-customer-jessie-byrd-greg-lindsey-virginia-july-21-2022">WSET</a>. &#8220;Look at the gas prices over the last year where they&#8217;ve gone.&#8221;
Gill said he prides himself on having the cheapest gas prices in town. &#8220;It makes a lot of sense, just to sometimes sacrifice your profits to protect the business model that you established,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s very important to us.&#8221;
Local news outlet The <a href="https://www.altavistajournal.com/news/local/article_0280cc76-0956-11ed-8084-8775b9451192.html">Altavista Journal</a> reported Thursday that GB was charging customers paying in cash just $2.83 for a gallon of regular gasoline. At the same time, a customer told the outlet that he saw One Stop Mart&#8217;s price set at $2.99, and a nearby Walmart gas station at $3.25. Another nearby gas station had prices closer to normal levels, with its price for regular set at $3.99, the outlet reported.
Lucinda Davis, owner of One Stop Mart, told WSET that the rivalry is friendly, spurred on by GB&#8217;s lower prices for gas.
&#8220;It&#8217;s just a friendly competition between two business owners,&#8221; Davis said. &#8220;He decided to lower down, so I just come down too.&#8221;
Davis agreed that cutting prices was a way to give back to the community. &#8220;We just try to give back to the community, give back to Altavista,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Help the schools, help the police department.&#8221; Davis also said that the two competitors sometimes &#8220;don&#8217;t see eye-to-eye,&#8221; and that there has been some conflict over social media, but that they were both trying to accomplish the same thing, and she harbors no ill will. &#8220;I like him, I think he&#8217;s a good person,&#8221; Davis said of Gill. &#8220;I mean, really, he&#8217;s giving me the will to keep going.&#8221;
The prices at the two gas stations are well below both the national average and the statewide average in Virginia. According to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=VA">AAA</a>, the national average for a gallon of gas sits at $4.382 a gallon. The average price in Virginia currently sits at about $4.157 per gallon. The average price in the Lynchburg metro area is slightly lower, at around $4.015 per gallon.
Gill is no stranger to lowering gas prices, either. In June, when gas prices were averaging about $4.776 per gallon in Virginia, according to AAA, GB Altavista posted a picture to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057631741546">Facebook</a> advertising gas at $3.99 per gallon.
The station then continued to lower prices, posting again on Wednesday with a picture showing gas prices at just $2.99 per gallon.
&#8220;2.99 cash at GB we love gas wars since 2012!&#8221; the post read. &#8220;Its kinda our thing part of our history!&#8221; Gill also linked to an article from <a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/gas-drops-to-1-29-as-fincastle-store-sets-lowest-price-in-u-s-on/article_589d6ea1-6cba-58c0-abf8-ef2ce1764684.amp.html">The Roanoke Times</a>, in which another station he managed made headlines in 2016 for charging just $1.29 a gallon, more than 50 cents below the local average on $1.83 at the time.

19F8743A-7926-4196-B55C-33EB5FE3BAEA_1_201_a

VA Gas Stations Slash Prices Below $3 A Gallon In ‘Friendly Competition’

Virginia Gas Stations Slash Prices Below $3 A Gallon In 'Friendly Competition'

Virginia

Chevron&#8217;s Chief Executive Officer Michael Wirth has sent President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> a letter with clear-as-day advice for what his administration should be doing to help pave the way for lower energy prices for the American people.
On June 15, President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-sends-letter-to-oil-companies-blasting-them-for-profits-demanding-they-increase-oil-production">sent</a> a letter to several major <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas">oil</a> companies, demanding that the energy industry ramp up oil production and combat disruption to the market from Russia&#8217;s war in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine">Ukraine</a> by lowering prices for the American people. On Tuesday, Chevron&#8217;s CEO <a href="https://www.chevron.com/newsroom/2022/q2/a-letter-to-president-biden-from-chevron-ceo-mike-wirth">answered</a> that demand with his own lengthy letter while saying the company hopes to have an &#8220;honest conversation&#8221; with the commander-in-chief.
Wirth&#8217;s letter noted that in 2021, &#8220;Chevron produced the highest volume of oil and gas in our 143-year history&#8221; and is currently investing $10 billion into green energy initiatives. Chevron then blasted the Biden administration for its anti-fossil fuel agenda.
&#8220;I want to be clear that Chevron shares your concerns over the higher prices that Americans are experiencing,&#8221; Wirth stated. &#8220;And I assure you that Chevron is doing its part to help address these challenges by increasing capital expenditures to $18 billion in 2022, more than 50% higher than last year.&#8221;
Throughout this spring, gas prices reached record highs across America. On Tuesday, the <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">cost of the average gallon of gasoline</a> in the U.S. was $4.968.
&#8220;Notwithstanding these efforts, your Administration has largely sought to criticize, and at times vilify, our industry,&#8221; Wirth remarked in his letter.
&#8220;These actions are not beneficial to meeting the challenges we face and are not what the American people deserve,&#8221; he added.
The energy executive explained that there is a simple strategy that Biden can enact to lower costs and provide certainty for the industry.
&#8220;We need clarity and consistency on policy matters ranging from leases and permits on federal lands, to the ability to permit and build critical infrastructure, to the proper role of regulation that considers both costs and benefits,&#8221; Wirth said. &#8220;Many of these elements are described in our industry&#8217;s recently released 10-point plan.&#8221;
On Thursday, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oil-experts-release-10-point-plan-for-biden-to-fix-energy-crisis-that-has-erupted-under-his-leadership">reported</a> that Mike Sommers, President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute (API),  released a 10-point plan for Biden to follow to stop the historic fuel costs that have erupted under his administration.
Wirth also explained to Biden that a serious conversation — one that respects the energy industry — is needed to help lower costs.
&#8220;Most importantly, we need an honest dialogue on how to best balance energy, economic, and environmental objectives — one that recognizes our industry is vital sector of the U.S. economy and is essential to our national security,&#8221; he added.
On Monday, Biden told reporters that his &#8220;team&#8221; will meet with energy leaders this week and ask how they can explain their record profits.
Biden also emphasized his belief that Americans can use this energy crisis to transition to clean energy.
&#8220;My dear mother used to have an expression: out of everything lousy, something good will happen, if you look hard enough for it&#8221; he rambled to reporters gathered on the beach. &#8220;We have a chance to make a fundamental turn toward renewable energy, electric vehicles, and not just electric vehicles but across the board.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Biden: &quot;My mother had an expression: out of everything lousy, something good will happen. We have a chance to make a fundamental turn toward renewable energy, electric vehicles, and across the board.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Si4oJ7ROFg">pic.twitter.com/Si4oJ7ROFg</a>
&mdash; Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1538934196831494145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Wirth clarified in his letter on Tuesday that Chevron representatives are willing to meet with members of the Biden administration to discuss how to lower prices.
&#8220;The American people rightly expect our country&#8217;s leaders and industry to address the challenges they are facing in a serious and resolute manner,&#8221; Wirth said. &#8220;We are a willing partner in that endeavor and trust your Administration will be the same.&#8221;

Joe Biden

Chevron CEO Rips Biden’s Attempts To ‘Vilify’ Oil Industry In Scathing Letter

Chevron CEO Michael Wirth Responds To Joe Biden's Letter To Oil Industry, Wants 'Honest Conversation'

Energy

A leading oil and gas organization released a 10-point plan this week for Democrat President Joe Biden to follow to stop the historic fuel costs that have erupted under his administration.
The plan was contained in a letter from Mike Sommers, President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the only national trade association that represents all aspects of America&#8217;s oil and natural gas industry.
Sommers&#8217; letter came in response to Biden attacking the industry this week, threatening that he would invoke &#8220;emergency&#8221; powers if they did not do more to lower fuel costs.
&#8220;Your administration has restricted oil and natural gas development, canceled energy infrastructure projects, imposed regulatory uncertainty, and proposed new tax increases on American oil and gas producers competing globally,&#8221; the letter states. &#8220;Respectfully, the American people need a different direction to solve this crisis.&#8221;
API&#8217;s 10-point plan includes:
<ul>
<li>Lift Development Restrictions on Federal Lands and Waters</li>
</ul>
The Department of the Interior (DOI) should swiftly issue a 5-year program for the Outer Continental Shelf and hold mandated quarterly onshore lease sales with equitable terms. DOI should reinstate canceled sales and valid leases on federal lands and waters.
<ul>
<li>Designate Critical Energy Infrastructure Projects</li>
</ul>
Congress should authorize critical energy infrastructure projects to support the production, processing, and delivery of energy. These projects would be of such concern to the national interest that they would be entitled to undergo a streamlined review and permitting process not to exceed one year.
<ul>
<li>Fix the NEPA Permitting Process</li>
</ul>
Your administration should revise the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process by establishing agency uniformity in reviews, limiting reviews to two years, and reducing bureaucratic burdens placed on project proponents in terms of size and scope of application submissions.
<ul>
<li>Accelerate LNG Exports and Approve Pending LNG Applications</li>
</ul>
Congress should amend the Natural Gas Act to streamline the Department of Energy (DOE) to a single approval process for all U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. DOE should approve pending LNG applications to enable the U.S. to deliver reliable energy to our allies abroad.
<ul>
<li>Unlock Investment and Access to Capital</li>
</ul>
The Securities and Exchange Commission should reconsider its overly burdensome and ineffective climate disclosure proposal and your administration should ensure open capital markets where access is based upon individual company merit free from artificial constraints based on government-preferred investment allocations.
<ul>
<li>Dismantle Supply Chain Bottlenecks</li>
</ul>
You should rescind steel tariffs that remain on imports from U.S. allies as steel is a critical component of energy production, transportation, and refining. Your administration should accelerate efforts to relieve port congestion so that equipment necessary for energy development can be delivered and installed.
<ul>
<li>Advance Lower Carbon Energy Tax Provisions</li>
</ul>
Congress should expand and extend Section 45Q tax credits for carbon capture, utilization, and storage development and create a new tax credit for hydrogen produced from all sources.
<ul>
<li>Protect Competition in the Use of Refining Technologies</li>
</ul>
Your administration should ensure that future federal agency rulemakings continue to allow U.S. refineries to use the existing critical process technologies to produce the fuels needed for global energy markets.
<ul>
<li>End Permitting Obstruction on Natural Gas Projects</li>
</ul>
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should cease efforts to overstep its permitting authority under the Natural Gas Act and should adhere to traditional considerations of public needs as well as focus on direct impacts arising from the construction and operation of natural gas projects.
<ul>
<li>Advance the Energy Workforce of the Future</li>
</ul>
Congress and your administration should support the training and education of a diverse workforce through increased funding of work-based learning and advancement of STEM programs to nurture the skills necessary to construct and operate oil, natural gas, and other energy infrastructure.
Two major oil companies have already fired back at Biden, saying that his administration needs to do more to fix the issue.
“In the short term, the U.S. government could enact measures often used in emergencies following hurricanes or other supply disruptions — such as waivers of Jones Act provisions and some fuel specifications to increase supplies,” ExxonMobil said. “Longer term, government can promote investment through clear and consistent policy that supports U.S. resource development, such as regular and predictable lease sales, as well as streamlined regulatory approval and support for infrastructure such as pipelines.”
Chevron slammed the administration in response to Biden’s letter, writing: “Unfortunately, what we have seen since January 2021 are policies that send a message that the Administration aims to impose obstacles to our industry delivering energy resources the world needs.”

Key Speakers At CEO Summit Of The Americas

Oil Experts Release 10-Point Plan For Biden To Fix Energy Crisis That Has Erupted Under His Leadership

American Petroleum Institute Releases 10-Point Plan To Fix Energy Crisis

Oil and Gas

A would-be gas thief was forced to beat a heated retreat after he caught fire while trying to steal from a parked truck in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The thief was attempting to siphon gas from a box truck parked outside Summit Fire and Protection in Salt Lake City when he caught fire and was forced to run away from the truck, local NBC affiliate <a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/50423275/thief-caught-on-camera-drilling-into-gas-tank--and-catching-on-fire">KSL-TV</a> reported. The incident occurred in broad daylight Saturday morning.
Surveillance video from the incident shows a man underneath the truck with a heavy-duty pickup truck alongside, its passenger door ajar. Suddenly, the would-be thief&#8217;s shirt catches fire. He slides out from underneath the truck, runs across the parking lot, and rolls on the asphalt in an attempt to put out the fire. The suspect&#8217;s accomplice then scoops him up and they drive off.
&#8220;The reason why he&#8217;s fleeing is that, if there were more gas in it than a gallon, this thing would have absolutely turned into a bomb,&#8221; Travis Mills, branch manager of Summit, told KSL. &#8220;It&#8217;s sad because times are tough for a lot of people, but it&#8217;s not worth the $5 that he would have saved for the injury that the guy sustained.&#8221;
The thief caught fire because he was trying to drill into the gas tank. &#8220;The guy tried to siphon gas out of it and he wasn&#8217;t getting the siphon to work,&#8221; Mills said. &#8220;So he decided to drill the gas tank, and that&#8217;s when he caught on fire.&#8221;
Mills told the outlet that the truck had already had its catalytic converter stolen and the gas had already been siphoned out of the truck. It is also not the first major burglary the company has had. Mills said that they have had multiple catalytic converters stolen, and a number of smash-and-grab thefts as well. The company had previously installed a $30,000 security system because of the thefts — but the cost of replacing the parts is not the only hardship for the company.
&#8220;Horrendous expense,&#8221; Mills said. &#8220;We have downtime with our guys, immediately. Oftentimes we don&#8217;t know what&#8217;s going on with it until we go to get in it, and now your gas is gone and it doesn&#8217;t start.&#8221; The trucks are out of commission until they can be repaired, which has been harder to do recently. &#8220;We&#8217;re finding that gas tanks are hard to come by,&#8221; Mills said.
Salt Lake Fire Marshals Division Chief Tony Allred said that drilling into a gas tank is very dangerous. Gasoline vapors are extremely flammable, and Allred said that heat put out by the drill, the drill bit, or even just static electricity could cause the gas to explode. &#8220;It&#8217;s just extraordinarily dangerous for the person stealing the gas for a very low return,&#8221; Allred said. &#8220;Unfortunately, given the gas prices in the valley and nationwide, we are seeing an increase in gas thefts.&#8221;
This particular thief&#8217;s efforts may have gone up in flames, but it is just the latest in a growing trend of sophisticated gas thefts across the country. The Daily Wire reported last week that thieves in Nevada have developed an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thieves-develop-sophisticated-way-to-steal-gas-as-prices-soar">intricate system</a> of piping allowing them to steal thousands of gallons of fuel from pumps. In March, thieves in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thieves-steal-almost-400-gallons-of-gas-from-nc-gas-station">North Carolina</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-arrest-thieves-who-stole-thousands-of-gallons-of-gas-from-florida-gas-stations">Florida</a> stole hundreds of gallons of gas from stations in their states using devices that manipulate the internal systems of the pumps themselves.

Fire

Would-Be Utah Gas Thief Lights Himself On Fire

Crime

Trucks

Utah

Two major U.S. oil companies hit back at President Joe Biden this week after he threatened to use &#8220;emergency authorities&#8221; on them to stem the political fallout from the historic gas prices that have erupted under his administration.
Biden&#8217;s threat was contained in a letter that he sent to ExxonMobil, Phillips 66, Chevron, BP, Shell, Marathon Petroleum Corp, and Valero Energy Corp.
&#8220;There is no question that Vladimir Putin is principally responsible for the intense financial pain the American people and their families are bearing,&#8221; Biden claimed, failing to mention that gas prices were already surging before Russia invaded Ukraine. &#8220;But amid a war that has raised gasoline prices more than $1.70 per gallon, historically high refinery profit margins are worsening that pain.&#8221;
Biden demanded that the companies &#8220;take immediate actions to increase the supply of gasoline, diesel and other refined product you are producing,&#8221; he said in the letter. &#8220;Unfortunately, what we have seen since January 2021 are policies that send a message that the Administration aims to impose obstacles to our industry delivering energy resources the world needs.&#8221;
ExxonMobil responded by saying that they have been in &#8220;regular contact with the administration&#8221; to remind them of the extraordinary efforts the company has made in investing in energy production, which they say are more &#8220;than any other company.&#8221;
&#8220;In the short term, the U.S. government could enact measures often used in emergencies following hurricanes or other supply disruptions &#8212; such as waivers of Jones Act provisions and some fuel specifications to increase supplies,&#8221; the company said. &#8220;Longer term, government can promote investment through clear and consistent policy that supports U.S. resource development, such as regular and predictable lease sales, as well as streamlined regulatory approval and support for infrastructure such as pipelines.&#8221;
Chevron slammed the administration in response to Biden&#8217;s letter, writing: &#8220;Unfortunately, what we have seen since January 2021 are policies that send a message that the Administration aims to impose obstacles to our industry delivering energy resources the world needs.&#8221;

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-BIDEN-AFL-CIO

Oil Companies Level Biden After He Threatens The Industry

Exxon And Chevron Respond To Biden After He Threatens To Invoke ’Emergency Authorities’

ExxonMobil

Sometimes good fortune comes down to being in the right place at the right time.
For Darryl Surita, that meant being at the Shell gas station in Rancho Cordova, California, last Thursday, when a price glitch allowed him to fill up his tank of gas for just 69 cents per gallon.
“I looked at the numbers and it was 69 cents a gallon. So you know what I did, I hit that button and it started pumping and the dollar sign just stayed low!” Surita exclaimed, CBS Sacramento <a href="https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2022/06/09/rancho-cordova-gas-price-69-cents/">reported</a>.
Surita posted the incredible discovery on Instagram and notified his family and friends. Soon, many more people were at the Shell station filling up their cars for the low, low price.
“I started looking around, and everybody had a smile. Everybody had a big smile, and they kind of were not looking at you in your eyes,” Surita added.
According to CBS Sacramento, the price for premium gasoline was actually supposed to be $6.99 per gallon that day at the station, but a technological error moved the decimal point, making the fuel cheaper.
Eddie Surita, who filled his tank up for just $14, said the scene was &#8220;crazy.&#8221;
&#8220;It turned into a circus within a matter of minutes,&#8221; he said to the press.
On Monday, the American Automobile Association (AAA) <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA">reported</a> that the average gallon of gas in California costs $6.436. Nationally, a gallon of gasoline costs an average of $5.014 per gallon, according to the AAA.
Across the country, gasoline prices are so high that thieves have resorted to innovating ways to steal fuel. On Friday, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/thieves-develop-sophisticated-way-to-steal-gas-as-prices-soar">reported</a> that police are warning about fuel theft in Nevada.
“Unfortunately, with the rise in fuel prices, we have an increase in fuel theft,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lt. Jeff Swanbeck <a href="https://www.fox5vegas.com/2022/06/08/metro-gives-fox5-an-inside-look-modified-trucks-targeting-gas-stations/">told</a> Fox 5. “Some gas stations have been hit for thousands of gallons and they will continue to go back until the tank is drained. That is thousands of dollars in losses for these gas stations and sometimes it almost gets to the point where it puts them out of business.”
“These thieves are very sophisticated,” Swanbeck added. “They will take a truck that looks just like a normal truck, like a freeway service truck, and there is intricate [piping] inside them.”
The Daily Wire also recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/californians-struggle-under-high-gas-prices-ahead-of-primaries">reported</a> that gas prices in California are some of voters&#8217; biggest concerns heading into the 2022 election cycle.
“They’re beyond furious — it’s called desperation,” Representative Lou Correa (D-CA) recently <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/06/us/politics/gas-prices-california-politics-democrats.html">told</a> the media.“I don’t hear anything about the other national issues we’re focusing on in Washington. The thing I hear about is gasoline. What are you going to do to bring down the gas prices?”
A portion of the gasoline glitch local media coverage can be seen here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tWcvmUyUsnU" width="720" height="385" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Stock Photo: Gasoline

California Drivers Elated After Gas Station Glitch Has Fuel At 69 Cents A Gallon

Rancho Cordova, California, Price Glitch Sells Gallon Of Gas For Just 69 Cents Per Gallon

California

On the day of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration">President Joe Biden’s</a> inauguration, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas">gas</a> cost $2.39 per gallon. Earlier this week, that figure <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-cost-of-gas-has-more-than-doubled-since-the-day-biden-took-office">doubled</a> to $4.82. And once again, gas prices reached a grim new milestone — hitting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gas-prices">$5 per gallon</a> on Thursday morning, per <a href="https://twitter.com/GasBuddyGuy/status/1534882159671906304">GasBuddy</a>.
“It’s quite a big deal, because it’s not occurring in isolation,” American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Desmond Lachman told The Daily Wire. “People have been hit by high oil prices, but they’re also being hit by high food prices and the wages are not keeping up with inflation.”
According to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">AAA</a>, the price at the pump is currently at a national average of $4.97 as of Thursday afternoon. In California, which has particularly harsh regulations on gas consumption, the cost per gallon reached $6.40.
The Biden Administration — which nixed expansions to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/peter-doocy-asks-for-a-straight-answer-on-keystone-gets-the-runaround-from-jen-psaki">Keystone XL Pipeline</a> last year and is dragging its feet on issuing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unacceptable-cruz-gop-senators-demand-end-to-oil-and-gas-lease-permit-delays">oil and gas permits</a> — claims that higher fuel costs may help the United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-slammed-for-remarks-on-enormously-high-gas-prices-theyre-saying-the-quiet-part-out-loud-now">transition</a> more quickly to renewable energy.
Nevertheless, a <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gas-prices-66-americans-are-making-significant-habit-changes-says-survey-180821426.html">poll from Yahoo</a> released last month showed that 66% of American drivers would make “significant changes to their driving patterns” if the national average cost of gasoline lies between $4.12 and $4.35 per gallon — a price that has since been exceeded. While 41% of respondents planned to only fill their gas tanks with what is affordable, 35% increased their usage of public transportation, and 29% canceled summer road trips.
“It’s a very visible product — it’s something that psychologically is quite a big deal, because you fill up your car every week or so,” Lachman, a former International Monetary Fund official, explained, affirming that the high prices are causing Americans to “pull back” on spending.
Despite rising from recession-era lows, consumer confidence — as measured by the University of Michigan’s benchmark <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UMCSENT">Survey of Consumers</a> — has been falling since the summer of 2021 and is presently near its lowest level in a decade. “These confidence numbers seem to keep coming down and plumbing new lows,” Lachman remarked.
The Federal Reserve, however, must weigh consumer spending habits in its tapering of aggressive monetary policy. Last month, the central bank <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-fed-jacks-key-rate-up-half-point-as-inflation-surges">hiked interest rates</a> by 0.5% — the largest rate increase since May 2000 — in an attempt to tame inflation. The move followed a 0.25% rate hike from near-zero levels three months ago.
The high cost of fuel will diffuse throughout the economy as businesses face higher operating expenses.
“It raises their costs, it reduces their profitability — that’s not good coming at a time when the stock market is already on the back foot,” Lachman said. “When you add this all up, this is one of those forces that is adding to inflation and adding to inflationary psychology … you get this really unfortunate combination of inflation staying high and the economy beginning to sputter.”
President Biden has noted his decision to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-raid-on-critical-strategic-petroleum-reserve-leaves-lowest-level-in-35-years">release millions of barrels</a> from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Meanwhile, Biden has tried to make overtures to leaders of top oil producer Saudi Arabia — a nation with which the United States’ relationship is <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/07/democrat-biden-us-saudi-relationship">currently tense</a>.
“So far, they haven’t been successful,” Lachman said of Biden’s attempts to lower gas prices, adding that perhaps “they might have moderated what might have otherwise occurred.”

Gas Prices Hit Grim National Average Of $5 Per Gallon

Gas Prices Hit Grim New Milestone Of $5 Per Gallon

President Joe Biden suggested on Wednesday that the high cost of gasoline is here to stay for quite some time, as he lamented to reporters that it is &#8220;not likely&#8221; he can simply &#8220;click a switch&#8221; to bring down prices.
Biden made his remarks regarding gasoline from the White House-crafted fake Oval Office that he uses instead of the actual Oval Office — which he <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-white-house-oval-office-teleprompter">reportedly</a> uses so that he can stay on a script from a teleprompter — immediately after discussing the baby formula shortage in the country.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a lot going on right now, but the idea we&#8217;re gonna be able to, you know, click a switch, bring down the cost of gasoline is not likely in the near term, nor is it with regard to food,&#8221; Biden said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BIDEN: &#8220;The idea we&#8217;re gonna be able to, you know, click a switch, bring down the cost of gasoline is not likely in the near term.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/lXNtUZzzbs">pic.twitter.com/lXNtUZzzbs</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1532092105476259845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
On Monday, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-how-much-gas-prices-have-risen-since-last-memorial-day">reported</a> that gas prices reached a national average of $4.62 per gallon, &#8220;marking the highest Memorial Day gas prices in <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/27/energy/gas-prices-memorial-day/index.html">more than a decade</a>.&#8221;
&#8220;Americans are thus paying nearly 11% more than the $4.18 prices that prevailed a month ago — as well as 53% higher than the $3.03 prices from Memorial Day last year, according to the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&amp;s=emm_epmr_pte_nus_dpg&amp;f=w">U.S. Energy Information Administration</a>,&#8221; The Daily Wire added.
In response to Biden&#8217;s claims, The Heritage Foundation&#8217;s John Cooper rebutted, &#8220;This is a lie. If Biden said we were going to start producing more oil and gas in the U.S., the price of oil would go down *tomorrow.* But he won&#8217;t, because he&#8217;s doing this all on purpose.&#8221;
As The Daily Wire has previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meads-happy-st-patricks-day-except-to-joe-biden-the-phony-irishman">reported</a>, high-energy costs have been a hallmark of this administration, and experts like The Heritage Foundation&#8217;s Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies Senior Policy Analyst Katie Tubb argue that Biden has done worse than nothing on the matter. He has actively discouraged investment in the industry and enacted policies that drive up costs, she explained last November.
&#8220;Rather than relieve regulatory roadblocks to affordable energy—like lifting the Jones Act and the ethanol mandate—President Biden has aggressively deployed regulators across the executive branch to make it more difficult to explore  for and produce oil, construct and operate pipelines, access financing and private sector investment, and use gasoline in cars and trucks,&#8221; Tubbs wrote in November 2021.
&#8220;President Biden made a political example out of the Keystone XL pipeline and has so far failed to show leadership, as his counterpart in Canada has done, to defend existing pipeline infrastructure serving American families across the country. He has used his bully pulpit from day one to vilify the oil industry rather than implement simple and effective policy solutions,&#8221; she added at the time. &#8220;Further, President Biden continues to boost the so-called ‘Build Back Better’ bill, which would increase oil prices by adding new fees and regulations on oil producers and cutting access to oil off American coasts.&#8221;
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-policies-are-the-exact-opposite-of-whats-needed-to-solve-illegal-immigration-inflation-and-energy-crises">recently said</a> that energy companies need &#8220;signals from the administration that they will support oil and gas development and production&#8221; in order to help lower costs by providing confidence in the future of the market. As The Daily Wire explained, &#8220;gas prices are a futures market, meaning their cost is partially dependent on signs from the government that oil production will be allowed.&#8221;
“Here’s the situation,” Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-slammed-for-remarks-on-enormously-high-gas-prices-theyre-saying-the-quiet-part-out-loud-now">said</a> last Tuesday when asked directly about the &#8220;enormously high&#8221; cost of gas. “And when it comes to the gas prices, we’re going through an incredible transition that is taking place that, God willing, when it’s over, we’ll be stronger and the world will be stronger and less reliant on fossil fuels when this is over.&#8221;

Biden Says He Can’t ‘Click A Switch’ To Lower Gas Prices ‘In The Near Term’

President Joe Biden Tells White House Reporters 'The Idea We're Gonna Be Able To, You Know, Click A Switch, Bring Down The Cost Of Gasoline Is Not Likely In The Near Term'

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said that soaring gas prices are a major reason why the U.S. economy must transition away from fossil fuels and toward green energy.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference in Golden, Colorado, announcing a $38 million investment by the Department of Energy to &#8220;decarbonize&#8221; its National Laboratories, Granholm said that continuing concern about rising prices at the pump was an &#8220;exclamation point&#8221; on the need to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/3501901-granholm-gas-price-struggle-an-exclamation-point-for-need-to-accelerate-clean-energy/">The Hill</a> reported.
During the exchange with reporters, Granholm also referred to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its effects on the global oil supply as a reason to push for more green energy. “No one has ever weaponized access to the sun,” Granholm said, referencing Russia&#8217;s move to cancel energy exports or demand shipments to be paid in Russian rubles. “No one has ever weaponized access to wind. The way we are energy secure is to build homegrown clean energy, and other countries are looking to that as well.”
Granholm repeated the rhetorical line that gas prices stem from the price of oil around the world, saying that every country in the world is also dealing with high prices and looking for ways to increase supply. “Everybody realizes that gasoline is derived from oil, and oil is traded on a global market, and so every country in the world is facing this,” she said. “Every country is looking for ways to increase supply in the moment — in supply of oil so that we can stabilize.&#8221; Granholm added that the U.S. can increase supply by tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and urging oil companies to increase their output, moves the Biden administration has already taken.
Granholm&#8217;s comments Wednesday come after she denied that the Biden administration is intentionally driving up gas prices to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-cotton-high-gas-prices-not-some-accident-biden-pushing-americans-to-adopt-green-tech">pressure Americans</a> to transition to alternative energy. &#8220;That is absolutely false,&#8221; Granholm <a href="https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1529454990405693441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1529454990405693441%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fdougp-3137%2F2022%2F05%2F25%2Fenergy-secretary-granholm-trips-all-over-biden-while-denying-this-admin-wants-high-gas-prices%2F">said Tuesday</a>, again giving the excuse that oil prices are traded on a global market. Granholm also claimed that the Biden administration understands that the nation is not ready to transition yet, and is working to increase supply &#8220;today, to bring prices down, [and] to stabilize supply and demand.&#8221;
Granholm&#8217;s comments come just days after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-sounds-off-on-whether-he-thinks-another-recession-is-inevitable">President Joe Biden </a>raised eyebrows when he described the pain American consumers are feeling at the pump as an &#8220;incredible transition&#8221; that the country will come out stronger for having gone through. “[When] it comes to the gas prices, we’re going through an incredible transition that is taking place that, God willing, when it’s over, we’ll be stronger and the world will be stronger and less reliant on fossil fuels when this is over,&#8221; Biden said at a press conference Monday.
“The price of gas at the pump is something that I told you — you heard me say before — it would be a matter of great discussion at my kitchen table when I was a kid growing up. It’s affecting a lot of families,” Biden continued. “But we have released over two hundred and, I think, fifty-seven thousand — million barrels of oil, I should say. Us and the rest of the world we convinced to get involved. It’s helped, but it’s not been enough.” But instead of seeking to increase domestic energy production, Biden said he would persuade OPEC countries to increase their output to address high prices.

Energy Sec Granholm: Soaring Gas Prices Are An ‘Exclamation Point’ That U.S. Must Accelerate Green Energy Push

Energy Sec Granholm: Soaring Gas Prices Are An 'Exclamation Point' That U.S. Must Accelerate Green Energy Push

Jennifer Granholm

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