SACRAMENTO — On Friday, May 30, California Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains (D-Delano) publicly called for Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), to resign. Chair Randolph’s testimony before the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee was clear, nuanced and aligned with CARB’s long-standing mandate: to protect public health and advance clean air and climate goals. 

Her statement — that CARB does not directly analyze retail gas prices when crafting air quality regulations — has been taken out of context, overlooking the complexity of fuel markets and the agency’s actual responsibilities. CARB’s charge is not to manage fuel prices; it is to reduce harmful pollution and protect Californians — especially those in communities long overburdened by toxic emissions. Economic impacts matter, but they are not the sole measure of sound public policy.

California’s governance system gives distinct agencies different mandates. CARB addresses emissions. Pricing and fuel oversight fall to the Energy Commission, the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight, and others. Everyday they are working together for a better, more sustainable California. Change is not easy or free — but the cost of inaction is far greater.

Statement from Davina Hurt, California Climate Policy Director, Pacific Environment: 

“It’s easy to blame regulators when the truth is inconvenient. The role of regulators is to protect people — our health, our air, our water — not corporate profit margins. Let’s be clear: the oil and gas industry has known for decades that its business model harms communities and the climate.

“Refineries aren’t closing because of CARB or air districts, the very public institutions charged with protecting people. They’re closing because of global competition, market shifts, aging infrastructure, shrinking demand and their own refusal to innovate.

“Meanwhile, Californians are facing very real impacts of the climate crisis — raging wildfires, displacement from their homes, chronic illnesses and skyrocketing insurance rates. The impacts are no longer theoretical — they are expensive, dangerous and escalating. 

“In 2024, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Shell reported nearly $80 billion in annual profits. Where is the outrage directed at the oil and gas industry — the same industry posting record profits on our dime  — to be part of the solution to the crisis it helped create? We urge policymakers to call on them to contribute, instead of blaming regulators for doing their jobs.

“Yes, affordability matters and it’s rightly part of the conversation — but so does accountability and the fact that Californians are already paying and continue to pay billions in health care costs from breathing toxic air. Cheaper prices at the pump may sound like relief, but communities with high rates of asthma, heart disease, and limited access to care will be paying a higher price. Affordability isn’t just about prices at the pump — it’s in ER visits, inhalers, and funeral costs. True affordability means clean air for future generations — not short-term price breaks while polluters get a free pass.

“Protecting public health and preparing for a clean energy future is not optional. It’s our shared responsibility. Undermining Chairwoman Randolph’s leadership over a mischaracterized comment distracts from the urgent work ahead — and threatens the progress we’ve made toward a cleaner, more just and resilient California. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work — together.”

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About Pacific Environment

Pacific Environment works to stop climate change and ensure healthy ecosystems around the Pacific Rim for the benefit of people and our planet. We campaign to stop climate change by working to fast-track key industries toward zero carbon emissions. We focus on major global industries that have received less public attention but whose carbon emissions are significant and still growing: the maritime shipping and the petrochemical (plastics) industries.