Chevron and WSPA remain top spenders for influence and lobbying at the close of 2025

 Sacramento, CA — New lobbying disclosures reveal California fossil fuel companies spent an egregious $34 million influencing lawmakers in Sacramento, not too far below 2024’s $38 million total, which was their highest spending year ever. Influence spending in Q4 was $7.7 million, with 73% of that coming from Chevron and WSPA.

Californians for Energy Independence, an oil industry front group that is heavily funded by companies like Chevron and that advocates for local oil and gas production, also poured $6.7 million into “general issues relating to energy independence in California.” This amount is not included in the total lobbying number, however, as it falls under Chevron’s expenses instead. Almost all of this lobbying spending is found in a payment for Winner And Mandabach Campaigns LLC, a national consulting firm specializing in ballot measure campaigns.

Top 5 lobbying and influence spenders of 2025:

Top 5 lobbying and influence spenders of Q4:

Chevron was a leader among Big Oil groups pushing back against key climate bills like the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act, which would hold major corporate climate polluters accountable for their fair share of the climate damages facing the state. Shell and WSPA also lobbied against this bill, which ultimately did not advance last session after industry attacks. The bill’s sponsors remain committed to the campaign for a Polluter Pays Climate Superfund Act, and Tracy, CA recently became the 25th locality to endorse the Act.

SB 237, a gut-and-amend bill rushed through at the end of this legislative session to roll back environmental regulations and allow thousands of new oil and gas wells to be drilled per year, saw lobbying from Valero, Phillips 66, and Exxon Mobil. The bill, opposed by climate and environmental justice organizations, sought to open up Kern County to increased dangerous, toxic drilling, ostensibly in response to the closure of the Phillips 66 refinery in Southern California and upcoming closure of the Valero refinery in Benicia. While frontline communities in Kern County and across California suffer from chronic exposure to pollution due to oil drilling, Big Oil is weaponizing its wealth to secure industry friendly policy that pads their bottom line with disregard to impacted Californians.

“Last year, Big Oil spent big on lobbying in California – and it worked. Oil lobbyists used refinery closures and a campaign of misinformation to pressure the Governor and legislature into big giveaways to the oil industry which do absolutely nothing to benefit the communities living near California’s refineries or the workers who operate them,” said Faraz Rizvi, Policy and Campaigns Manager at the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN). “In 2026, California has an opportunity to set a new course: responsibly stewarding the energy transition, safeguarding our health and climate progress, and centering the needs of frontline communities and workers along the way.”

“In this vital decade of transitioning away from fossil fuels and creating a cleaner and more affordable economy in California, we are seeing an escalating campaign of disinformation by oil corporations that blames their exit from California on health protective common sense measures in our communities,” said Bahram Fazeli, Director of Research and Policy at Communities for a Better Environment. “However, we all know the real reason is that fossil fuel demand in California is on the decline, and in response California elected officials should prepare visionary transition plans that protects communities and workers during this historic transformation.”

As we approach the start of a new legislative session, California’s ongoing transition off of a waning fossil fuel industry remains a pertinent issue. In his final year of office, Governor Gavin Newsom’s climate legacy faces a critical moment. Climate and environmental justice organizations who saw extreme opposition from fossil fuel companies last year are counting on leadership from lawmakers that prioritizes frontline communities, consumers, and workers over Big Oil profits.

“Big Oil sees the writing on the wall: California and the world are moving on to cleaner, cheaper, safer energy. This multimillion-dollar spending spree is an attempt to prop up a declining industry and squeeze out as much profit for fossil fuel shareholders as possible, no matter the costs to public health and the climate. In his last year in office, we hope to work with Governor Newsom to hold Big Oil accountable, redirect state investment to real climate solutions, and establish his legacy as a climate leader.” Woody Hastings, Phase Out Polluting Fuels Program Director for The Climate Center

“Oil and gas lobbyists spend millions to keep drilling next to our schools and homes. They use money to try to drown out the voices of farmworkers who can’t breathe, of children using inhalers, of families watching their loved ones get sick. Corporate lobbying should not overpower community testimony. We know what we need to be healthy: clean air, safe water, and leaders who listen to us, not to the highest bidder. Every dollar spent silencing us is a dollar that could have gone to cleaning up their pollution. Our lungs shouldn’t be worth less than their profits, and our voices shouldn’t cost millions to be heard.” Cesar Aguirre CCEJN, Director, Air and Climate Justice

“While people across California spent 2025 calling on our state leaders to hold polluters accountable for fueling the climate crisis that is costing us billions, Big Oil tried to drown out our voices by spending massive amounts of money to get out of any responsibility for the mess they made. Californians need a future full of clean, sustainable energy, clean air and water, and we need it now – not more Big Oil money in Sacramento.” Nicole Ghio, California Director at Food & Water Watch

Additional information on Q4 and 2025 lobbying activity is available upon request.

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LCA LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We acknowledge that Sacramento is the traditional home of the Maidu, Miwok and Nisenan people. Part of our commitment to decolonizing ourselves, our language, and our organizations is a commitment to learning and better understanding the history of Indigenous Peoples of so-called California, including the history of contact, colonization and the extraction of resources from Indigenous lands which has been part of the continuation of modern colonization.