We need more refineries

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Regulating refineries out of business is not the way to lower gasoline prices.

Joe Biden’s war on fossil fuels. Real Clear Energy. Opinion.
Even if the administration encouraged more domestic drilling (in contrast to the president’s repeated calls for OPEC to pump more oil), that oil must be refined to turn it into gasoline and diesel fuel. However, in the face of increasing renewable fuel mandates, gasoline and diesel refining capacity in the United States has been declining for years, as many refineries are either closing or converting to biofuel refineries. No large refinery has been built for 46 years, in part because of the EPA’s ratcheting up of biofuel blending requirements to unsustainably high levels. Moreover, the EPA’s recent decision to end its longstanding practice of granting biofuel waivers to small refiners will only lead to more refineries closing under those mandates’ costly weight. Regulating refineries out of business is not the way to lower gasoline prices.

Manchin’s climate move spurs talk of Biden pivot on fossil fuels. Bloomberg Law.
Sen. Joe Manchin’s decision to put the brakes on climate legislation until the fall is leading some green and industry groups to gear up for a potential post-midterm election crackdown by the Biden administration on fossil fuel development. The need for a vote from Manchin (D-W.Va.) on climate legislation has been seen as a reason President Joe Biden’s administration has delayed making its preferences public regarding two major oil and gas proposals that would turn up the heat on climate change: offshore leasing in the Gulf of Mexico and the Willow oil and gas project in Alaska. “I could see a very plausible situation where after the midterms they feel empowered to go big,” said Brett Hartl, government affairs director for the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. “Hope springs eternal that eventually the Department of Interior and the Biden administration will match the president’s own rhetoric” promising a halt to oil and gas leasing.

What happened to Biden’s gas tax holiday? E&E News.
Nearly a month ago, President Joe Biden stood behind a White House podium and asked Congress to move swiftly to pause federal gas taxes to ease prices during the busy summer travel season. Congress’ response: No thanks. Democratic leadership on Capitol Hill refused to commit to advancing Biden’s plan, and the idea quickly fizzled. Given Congress’ reluctance to embrace the president’s plan, along with falling gas prices, the gas tax holiday appears dead — at least for now. “We’ll never hear about it again,” said Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist who served as an aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). “It’s just a gimmick too far for many Democrats, with no expectation that it’ll ever be passed on to the consumer.” Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed concerns that energy companies wouldn’t pass along the savings to consumers and stressed that the gas tax is needed to fund federal infrastructure projects.