Over 40 groups call out Newsom for backsliding on climate promises, banner dropped in New York City

After signing a climate and energy package last week that would expand oil drilling in California by 2,000 wells per year, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office on Monday announced a new campaign on video urging 1 million Californians to take “everyday climate actions for collective action.” 

The actions to combat climate change include reducing waste, composting food scraps, supporting local farmers, planting trees and native plants, starting a community garden and walking, biking, using public transit, carpool or considering a zero-emission vehicle. More information can be found on the new Climate Action Counts website.

“Every day, Californians are taking small actions that collectively are helping us create a better world for our kids and grandkids,” Newsom claimed in a statement in the LA Times. “The Climate Action Counts campaign will empower Californians to be a part of something big and impactful.”  

Yet climate advocates report that as the Governor is set to appear at New York Climate Week today, over 40 groups, led by environmental advocacy organization Food & Water Watch, delivered a letter demanding he stops backsliding on the climate progress he has made so far throughout his term, according to a statement from Food and Water Watch.  

“We are writing as organizations and leaders representing millions of Americans across the country to urge you to live up to your climate and consumer protection rhetoric in the face of Trump’s assault on our climate,” the letter states. “Now is not the time to step back, rather we need your strong leadership in taking on the fossil fuel industry and ushering in a clean energy future.”  

The letter commends Newsom for his earlier support of an environmental justice-led push for a setback to protect communities from fossil fuel drilling, a ban on fracking, and using his national platform to talk about how fossil fuel companies are deceiving the public and costing Californians billions in health and environmental damage: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/National-Newsom-Sign-On.pdf  

However, the letter notes that since President Trump’s election, Governor Newsom has appeared to back away from “aggressively taking on Big Oil and the need for a rapid transition off fossil fuels,” including:  

“Failing to support California’s Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act, which seeks to make major polluters pay for the climate damages they have fueled in California, New York and Vermont passing similar bills in their own states.  

“Spearheading legislation during California’s most recent legislative session that will streamline permitting for new oil and gas wells in some of the most polluted parts of the state.  

“Publicly championing fossil fuel industry-backed schemes like carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen that can worsen climate impacts, increase costs for consumers and ratepayers, and extend the life of polluting projects.  

“Prioritizing Big Oil interests over the safety of communities including keeping the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility open indefinitely – site of the largest gas blowout in U.S. history – granting waivers for offshore drilling in the Santa Barbara – site of 2015’s infamous oil spill disaster – and considering bailing out the refineries responsible for a legacy of pollution in our communities.”  

“As Governor Newsom touts his climate record on the national and international stage, we must not let him forget that it takes more than words to be a climate leader,” said Food & Water Watch California Director Nicole Ghio.”He must stop caving to Big Oil interests and instead act to hold Big Oil accountable and advocate for the safety of our unique and beautiful environment and our vibrant communities. As President Trump slashes environmental protections and walks in lockstep with Big Oil, we need a leader – now more than ever – who will stand up for Californians and our climate.”  

Meanwhile, in the heart of New York City during Climate Week, activists have just unfurled a giant banner that reads: “Gov. Newsom: If you can’t take on Big Oil, how can you take on Trump? Don’t Let Big Oil Trump Your Climate Promises.”  

“Why? Because Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to be seen as a national climate leader, the Last Chance Alliance (LCA) wrote in an action alert. “He’s enjoying the spotlight of the climate stage this week, but back in California, he’s been siding with fossil fuel companies, handing them new giveaways and expanding drilling when he should be phasing it out.”  

“Meanwhile, Trump and his Big Oil billionaire backers are pushing ‘Drill Baby Drill,’ gutting health protections, fueling climate chaos, and cashing in while families breathe toxic smoke and struggle with rising costs of living.”  

“We can’t let Newsom rest on his laurels of years of climate commitments while Big Oil CEOs keep raking in billions.”  

Send your letter now: Tell Gov. Newsom to stand up to Trump and Big Oil — and keep his climate promises: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/gov-newsom-stand-up-to-trump-and-big-oil-billionaires  

Background: Big Oil spills unprecedented millions to expand oil drilling and pollution  

The reason why Big Oil was able to get Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Senate and Assembly to do their bidding at this time is due to the huge amounts of money the fossil fuel industry is pumping into lobbying California officials, as well as into political campaigns.  

As I have documented in article after article, Big Oil has been spending record millions of dollars to stop climate legislation like the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act and to pass bad bills like the Governor's legislation to exempt new oil drilling permits from environmental review.  

In the second quarter of 2025, the oil and gas industry spent even more money lobbying state officials, a total of $9,206,886, than in the first quarter, stopping the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act and other climate legislation from moving forward.  

That adds up to a total of over $18 million that Big Oil has spent to gut climate laws, dodge cleanup and keep polluting in the first 6 months of the year.  

As usual, the majority of this fossil fuel cash was spent by Chevron and the Western States Petroleum Association. Chevron spent even more money on lobbying in the second quarter, $3,889,907, than in the first quarter, coming in first in lobbying expenses, according to the California Secretary of State’s Cal Access website for disclosures by lobbyist employers: https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Lobbying/Employers/  

Chevron has refused to respond to growing calls to boycott the company for its operation and co-ownership of Israeli-claimed fossil gas fields in the Mediterranean. At Chevron stations across the country, including in the Sacramento area and the San Francisco Bay Area, local human rights and environmental justice groups have been holding regular protests to highlight the company’s complicity in genocide, as well in environmental destruction and human rights violations across the globe.  

The Western States Petroleum Association finished second in the oil industry lobbying expenses with $3,032,226 spent in the second quarter: cal-access.sos.ca.gov/…  

With the first two quarters of the year combined, Chevron has spent $7.6 million, while WSPA has spent $6.5 million in 2025 to date.  

In addition, Sable Offshore, the corporation that plans to restart the pipeline that caused the devastating Refugio Oil Spill that fouled the Southern California coastline in 2015, spent $419,000 fighting AB1448, a bill that would prevent drilling on public lands, in the first two quarters.  

In the first quarter of 2025, the oil and gas industry spent a total of $9,139,655 in according to disclosures on the California Secretary of State’s website.  

Chevron came in first with $3,758,914 spent, while the Western States Petroleum Association finished second with $3,471,879 spent from January 1 through March 31. That’s well over $7 million between those two organizations alone. Again, much of that money was spent on opposing the Climate Superfund Act and other climate bills in 2025's first quarter.  

Chevron and the Western States Petroleum Association spend more than any other corporate lobbying organizations in Sacramento every year.  

Last year the Western States Petroleum Association placed first in the Big Oil lobbying spending spree with $17.4 million, while Chevron came in second with $14.2 million. Spending by the Western States Petroleum Association and Chevron alone shattered the previous record, coming in at $31.6 million in 2024, according to data compiled by the Last Chance Alliance.  

WSPA and the oil companies wield their power in 8 major ways: through (1) lobbying; (2) campaign spending; (3) serving on and putting shills on regulatory panels; (4) creating Astroturf groups; (5) working in collaboration with media; (6) sponsoring awards ceremonies and dinners, including those for legislators and journalists; (7) contributing to non profit organizations; and (8) creating alliances with labor unions, mainly construction trades.