Energy costs worry many Californians. Electricity rates have soared, and gas prices rise with overseas disturbances. Families face costs they cannot control. However, costly energy is not unavoidable. Choices determine energy prices.
Before joining Congress, I worked as an environmental lawyer advocating for affordable clean energy. Renewable energy is both fast to implement and cost-effective. Blocking its use leads to higher costs for families.
Rising Energy Costs
Two factors drive energy costs up. The first is the cost of power, which rises when cheaper sources are ignored in favor of unstable fossil fuels. The second is the expense of the damages caused by these fuels, seen in insurance, disaster recovery, and taxes. Both issues stem from certain choices and are worsening.
The financial impact of these choices is substantial. In 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded 27 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, costing nearly $183 billion. In the past five years, such events have cost over $746 billion, affecting insurance premiums and taxes.
Impact of Climate Disasters
Climate-related disasters have severe consequences. Wildfires in Los Angeles in the previous year caused 440 deaths and displaced 200,000 people. Communities like Altadena and Pacific Palisades faced massive recovery costs with little federal support. Such disasters shift costs to families and taxpayers.
Who benefits when low-cost energy alternatives are ignored, and who pays the price?
The fossil fuel industry previously denied the existence of climate change. Now, efforts are made to discredit scientific findings and influence legal proceedings. This issue is central in Suncor v. Boulder, where the Supreme Court will decide if governments can claim compensation for climate change-related damages.
Exxon’s internal documents from the 1970s and 1980s predicted climate issues from fossil fuel use, yet public doubt was cast on the science. States and local governments have paused legal cases pending the court’s decision.
Industry Influence
The release of the National Academies of Sciences’ report on the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave faced interference. Scientists’ emails were scrutinized, and participants faced political pressure. Legal debates have also been influenced by fossil fuel-funded seminars for federal judges.
Legislation introduced in Congress aims to shield companies from liability. This was part of an agreement between President Trump and oil executives. This impacts families as polluters shift costs onto them. Utility companies also pass infrastructure costs to residential ratepayers, benefiting large corporations.
Electricity prices rose by 13% since Trump’s tenure, increasing further with recent global issues. Together with Rep. Sean Casten, I’ve proposed the Energy Bills Relief Act, supported by over 160 House co-sponsors. The bill promotes clean energy, restores cost-lowering tax credits, invests in home efficiency, and ensures fair cost distribution.
The fossil fuel sector’s tactics of denial and delay push costs onto the public. Recognizing this pattern is crucial, as these costs appear on your bills. Improving is necessary for environmental and financial reasons.
Mike Levin represents California’s 49th District in Congress.