Energy
The Chamber Advocates for:
• Efforts and opportunities to enhance public awareness of the importance of the energy industries to the community.
• Reduction in regulations that would allow for increased energy production.
• Partnerships and programs to expose students to careers in the energy industries.
• Efforts to address the lack of inter-regional parity in electricity rates affecting residents within the San Joaquin Valley, including the Greater Bakersfield area.
• Cost effective energy efficiency programs.
The Chamber Opposes:
• Any method of taxation, including fees that unfairly targets vital energy such as an oil severance tax on oil production which is essential to the Kern County economy, or establishing a de facto climate change tax on energy production.
• Regulations or mandates that are unduly punitive or costly and that would unnecessarily damage competitiveness or cause significant loss of employment.