California's gas prices are set to increase on July 1. Here's what to know.
Many Californians are confused by how much more they will be paying at the pump come July 1.
Starting July 1, the state excise tax for gas will increase by 2 cents, going from about 59 cents to 61 cents per gallon.
That is a number politicians on both sides agree on, but the confusion is coming from the new Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) passed by the California Air Resources Board last fall and how it will impact gas prices.
A University of Pennsylvania report found it would be a 65-cent increase, sparking the confusion.
Senator Brian Jones created a petition against it that has garnered over 30,000 signatures and counting. , he called out Gov. Gavin Newsom.
"All Californians have to do is look at their wallet," Jones said. "Their wallets are being emptied every single week as these gas prices continue to climb."
UC Davis associate director in the Energy Futures Program, Colin Murphy, said 65 cents is the worst-case scenario. Instead, his models show it would increase by 8 or 9 cents per gallon.
"If the credit price spiked up to the ceiling, then 65 cents per gallon would be reasonable; however, there is no evidence suggesting that the credit price is going to rise anywhere near that," Murphy said.
Newsom's office released what it is , saying Republican lawmakers and the oil industry are spreading misinformation.
"I think it's very offensive for California motorists who are buying gasoline every day to get to work, for this governor to keep trying to split hairs on how much it is going to be," Jones said. "The bottom line is, it is going to be more."
The Office of Administrative Law has not approved LCFS yet, but Murphy believes this action will happen by the end of July.
USC associate professor Michael Mische told CBS Sacramento last month that his studies show that the price per gallon by the end of 2026 will be $8.
"We built models, multiple models," Mische said. "It really doesn't matter whether it's $8 or $7 or $7.50. The models all indicate the price of gas is going up."
Murphy said that it is highly unlikely and a worst-case scenario.
