The top spokesperson for California Assembly Republicans is departing for a gig with the oil industry’s main in-state trade group.
What happened: Jim Stanley, who served as communications director for the Assembly’s Republican caucus, will become director of media relations for the Western States Petroleum Association, the main trade group representing the oil industry in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
Why it matters: The industry is at an inflection point in California as the state continues to ratchet up its nation-leading greenhouse gas policies. WSPA is a key player in many of those policies, including the low-carbon fuel standard, which the California Air Resources Board updated last year. It also has a central role in the debate over the cap-and-trade program, which Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and legislative leaders plan to reauthorize this session.
At the same time, WSPA’s member companies have been backing away from California. Valero Energy announced plans earlier this month to shutter or convert its Northern California refinery, while Phillips 66 is planning to close its Los Angeles refinery later this year.
