Newsom’s office warns Californians to avoid Chevron this holiday weekend, citing high gas prices

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is in a dispute with a major oil company over who is responsible for the state’s high gas prices, with the Democratic governor’s office urging drivers not to fill up at Chevron stations over Memorial Day weekend.

“Pro tip: Unbranded gas comes from the same refineries, storage tanks and pipelines, and it meets the same state standards to keep your engine clean,” Newsom’s office posted on

Newsom’s office cited an analysis by a group within the state energy commission, which oversees the oil and gas industry, that found Chevron on average costs more than 60 to 80 cents per gallon above unbranded alternatives.

Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest travel times of the year. The call from the governor’s office follows Chevron posting signs at California gas stations blaming the state’s climate policies for the high cost of gas. The average price of gasoline in California stood at $6.14 per gallon Thursday, about $1.58 more than the national average, according to the American Automobile Association. The state charges consumers about 70 cents per gallon of gasoline, according to the state energy commission. This is the highest gas tax in the country.

“California politicians choose foreign oil and fuels over local jobs and lower costs,” the signs read. They feature a QR code that links to a Chevron webpage asking people to “speak up for reliable, affordable energy.”

It’s unclear when Chevron placed the signs, but spokesman Ross Allen said they were part of a campaign the company launched three years ago to educate drivers about the impacts of California’s policies on prices.

“We’ve been very vocal about the importance of customer education in California so that our drivers and consumers understand where their tax dollars are going,” Allen said.

There are hundreds of Chevron gas stations operating in California, and most of them are independently operated and set their own prices, he said.

Chevron has also become a point of contention in the gubernatorial race, with billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer criticizing former federal Health Secretary Xavier Becerra for accepting campaign contributions from the company. Both Steyer and Becerra are Democrats.

Pump prices have soared across the country since the start of the Iran war, triggering a global energy crisis. The price of crude oil, which is the main ingredient in gasoline, soared during the war because the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage in the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil normally passes, was effectively closed. Oil tankers are stuck there, unable to deliver crude.

Newsom, who often touts the state’s status as a global climate leader, has adopted policies in recent years aimed at cracking down on oil company profits and reducing gas prices.

He signed a law in 2023 authorizing the state energy commission to penalize oil companies for excessive profits, declaring that the state had “finally beaten big oil.” But regulators voted last year to delay plans to penalize the companies until 2030 and prioritize other efforts to protect consumers at the pump.

The delay comes after two oil refineries, which accounted for about 18% of the state’s refining capacity, announced plans to close, reigniting debate over the price impacts of the state’s ambitious climate policies.

Newsom signed another law in 2024 giving the commission the authority to require refineries to keep a certain amount of fuel on hand. The goal is to try to prevent prices from suddenly rising when refineries are shut down for maintenance. But this regulation is also at a standstill.