{"id":307,"date":"2026-05-25T11:31:41","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T11:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=307"},"modified":"2026-05-25T11:31:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T11:31:41","slug":"newsom-accuses-chevron-of-spiking-gas-prices-before-memorial-day-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanfranciscomovingguide.com\/?p=307","title":{"rendered":"Newsom accuses Chevron of spiking gas prices before Memorial Day weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As Californians hit the road this Memorial Day weekend, gas giant Chevron and Gov. Gavin Newsom are duking it out over who is responsible for the price that travelers are paying at the pump.\u00a0<\/p>

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On Thursday, Newsom\u00a0took to social media to warn the state that oil giant Chevron was going to price-gouge over the Memorial Day weekend. His post came as gas prices are at their highest since 2022.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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\u201cCalifornians, if you\u2019re hitting the road this holiday weekend, be sure to AVOID Chevron,\u201d Newsom said in the post. \u201cPro tip: unbranded gas comes from the same refineries, storage tanks, and pipelines, and it meets the same state standards to keep your engine running clean, even if it doesn\u2019t have a fancy name like \u2018Techron.\u2019 Big Oil is already making billions off Trump\u2019s Iran War; don\u2019t let them rip you off even more by overpaying for the brand name.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

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Californians, if you\u2019re hitting the road this holiday weekend, be sure to AVOID Chevron.Pro tip: unbranded gas comes from the same refineries, storage tanks, and pipelines, and it meets the same state standards to keep your engine running clean, even if it doesn\u2019t have a fancy\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/FMTnNHE0Bn<\/p>\u2014 Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) May 21, 2026\n<\/blockquote> <\/div>

Drivers stopping at the pump in California will pay an average of $6.14 this holiday weekend,\u00a0according to AAA. In Southern California, the prices are expected to be higher than they were during Memorial Day weekend in 2022 and only 30 cents shy of their all-time record.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

Chevron spokesperson Ross Allen told SFGATE that Newsom had it wrong, placing the responsibility on California\u2019s lawmakers.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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\u201cMost Chevron-branded gas stations in California are independently owned and operated,\u201d Allen said Friday. \u201cAttacking California\u2019s small businesses like this is deeply unfair and irresponsible.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

As Californians already pay the nation\u2019s highest gas prices, according to AAA, finger-pointing has been rampant during the recent price surge.<\/p><\/div>

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\u201cSacramento policies did this. Now you pay more,\u201d a sign at a Santa Clara gas station reads. The sign includes a QR code that Californians can scan to read more. Allen said the company has been running the campaign at California gas stations for three years.<\/p>

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For its part, Allen said the company is continuing to try to educate Californians about Sacramento\u2019s energy and tax policies.<\/p><\/div>

\u201cThese adversarial policies have resulted in California losing nearly 18% of its refining capacity in less than a year,\u201d Allen said.<\/p><\/div>

According to the Energy Information Administration,\u00a0California gas prices include fees that make the fuel burn cleaner to meet environmental standards. According to the California Air Resources Board, state law also\u00a0requires all gas, including unbranded gas, to contain detergent additives to meet state standards.<\/p><\/div>

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Anthony Martinez, a spokesperson for Newsom\u2019s office, told SFGATE the war in Iran is largely to blame for the increase Californians have seen at the pump and that Chevron-branded gas is consistently 60 to 80 cents more per gallon than that of its competitors.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

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