Is phasing out fossil fuels a good or even feasible idea?
This is a question that none of the so-called “experts” who want to stop this county and eventually the entire nation from using this readily available resource have considered.
You know who they are, the “what if” folks that are well funded by the idle rich. When an oil spill occurs, they use it for decades to press their point that we must stop killing the Earth. They refuse to accept that the spills are cleaned up and the Earth heals naturally because fossil fuels are created naturally by the Earth.
The “what if experts” create studies like one recently reported in Noozhawk during a public meeting back in May when the Board of Supervisors was considering a potential phase-out of oil permits. “The push for the proposed ban was driven by research from the UC Santa Barbara Political Science Department, which claims phasing out oil and gas operations could save the county between $54 [million] to $81 million in mortality costs by 2045.”
This is of course only conjecture since any “study” can be manipulated to reach a predetermined conclusion simply by changing some numbers in a spreadsheet.
As for the politicians, also well-funded by the idle rich, they pontificate from their perch, like 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann, who reportedly said that she believes that Santa Barbara County and California can lead by example by moving forward with the phaseout. “This is our future, and we have to act and somebody has to step forward and say, ‘We are acting or creating a way for others to follow.’”
A thoughtful person would approach this situation considering the plethora of objects in daily use that would be impacted. Look around you, it isn’t just your car or truck that relies on fossil fuels, it’s virtually everything you touch.
Your cellphone, TV, Tupperware, insulation on the wiring in your house, most appliances, and even the clothes you wear every day rely in part on fossil fuels. Even solar panels and wind-catching turbines have parts that rely on fossil fuels.
In California, there has long been a purge of fossil fuel-powered electric generation stations. The prevailing thought was that so-called renewable energy sources, wind and solar power, could easily replace these power plants without harming the environment. Concerning environmental harm, constructing these facilities produced actual and fully documented harm to the environment, and the losses of endangered species were deemed an acceptable loss.
However, over time solar and wind power have been proven to be an unreliable source of power. Real power experts say that the power grid needs a consistent flow of energy to “remain in balance” and avoid unintentional shutdowns when the power source fluctuates. Gov. Gavin Newsom has now concluded that more nuclear and fossil fuel power plants are needed to provide a reliable energy source.
Another consideration that escapes politicians who support banning fossil fuels is the loss of tax revenue. The Western States Petroleum Institute says statewide the current loss of revenue annually at risk is in billions of dollars and rising; in Santa Barbara County it’s more than $300 million.
If all passenger cars and trucks were powered by electricity, there would be no tax revenue because public utilities that provide the power to recharge EVs don’t charge sales tax like a conventional gas station does.
Even Gov. Newsom, as Cal Matters recently reported, has concluded, “We’re in the ‘how’ business. We move to a low-carbon, green-growth future, change the way we produce and consume energy,” Newsom said in July, according to the article. “At the same time, we have enough available fuel supplies, a stable fuel supply and address the anxieties around cost.”
Maybe the local Board of Supervisors didn’t get the memo concerning this change of direction. Instead of trying to be the leader of the get-oil-out movement, how about considering the long-range impact of the decisions you make.
Phasing out fossil fuels is a foolish policy that fails to consider the real-world needs of the people you serve.
Ron Fink writes to the Sun from Lompoc. Send a letter for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Sep 4 – Sep 14, 2025.