ENB Pub Note: This is a huge story from the California Globe’s Editor in Chief Katy Grimes, and we have Professor Mische, Mike Ariza, and David Blackmon on the Energy News Beat and Energy Impacts Podcasts covering this huge story from California, and the Executive Orders from President Trump.
These would stabilize California fuels markets, and assure that California crude oil producers and refinery operators could support U.S. force readiness and the security of the U.S.
By Katy Grimes, April 13, 2026 6:01 am
Confronting the potential of gasoline shortages and severe price hikes, seven draft Executive Orders to address California’s war on the oil and gas industry are making their way through Washington, D.C. to President Donald J. Trump. The Executive Orders are intended to ensure that the United States has the necessary fuels from California to provide for its national security.
“California’s Governor and Legislature, through its past and most recent actions, and despite numerous warnings, have proven that they are incapable or unwilling to address its self-created fuel crisis, as well as the broader security of the nation,” wrote USC Professor Michael Mische, and his co-authors UC-Berkeley Professor James Rector, and U.S. Oil and Gas Association President, Tim Stewart. “The U.S., California, and global security would benefit from President Trump’s further and immediate invocation of the Defense Production Act (DPA). As a blueprint for Presidential consideration, we offer seven potential Executive Orders (EO) that POTUS may immediately consider ensuring that the U.S. has the necessary fuels from California to provide for its national security”:
1- Executive Order #1: Allowing offshore oil production and use of all appropriate main and feeder pipeline systems necessary to move offshore crude oil production onshore using the existing pipeline network and onto California refineries or maritime terminals. (Done but in litigation).
2- EO #2: To declare the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) “special blend” gasoline detrimental to U.S. national security, and to the economic vitality of California by revoking and eliminating requirement to use the “special blend” in California and to provide for the use of the national and more common Reformulated Fuel Standard for gasoline in California to alleviate gasoline shortages.
3- EO #3: To remove and revoke state and local control and development restrictions on both offshore and onshore in-state crude oil and gas proven and potential reserves and existing crude oil production assets (such as platforms) and drilling restrictions to immediately increase oil production, by any means necessary, by declaring the oi reserves in the counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties national security assets and henceforth under the auspices and direction of the Department of Energy and other designated Federal agencies and exempt from all California stated and local purview.
4- EO #4: To vest all control and management of California crude oil and gasoline pipelines under the auspices and direction of the Department of Energy and other designated Federal agencies.
5- EO #5: To direct all California refineries to increase jet and diesel fuel production and encourage importation of U.S. refined gasoline products from Gulf of America refineries (see EO#2) pursuant to production plans approved by the Department of Energy, Department of War, and other designated Federal agencies.
6- EO #6: To direct the Secretary of Energy to immediately enter into a lease and operating agreement with Valero for the reanimation of the Benecia refinery complex for a guaranteed period of seven years. Said agreement could be either federal government only or reflective of a federal government-private relationship. The agreement would provide for the U.S. government to procure 100% of Valero Benecia refinery production. Said production will be contractually directed to U.S. military usage and to the state of Nevada in percentages to be determined by the Secretary of Energy in collaboration with the Secretary of War, Secretary of Interior, and the Governor of Nevada.
7- EO #7: To direct the Secretary of Energy, or his delegate, to create an operational and organizational structure for the deployment, oversight and coordination of the Executive Orders in California and the state’s energy strategies for a period of seven years.
“President Trump can fix the California energy debacle. Invocation of these Executive Orders would have an immediate and positive effect on stabilizing the California fuels markets while providing high levels of certainty and assurance that California crude oil producers and refinery operators could support U.S. force readiness and the security of the U.S.,” Professor Mische said.
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