Newsweek
April 24, 2021

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom’s “terrible” plan to ban fracking in the state by 2024, saying it puts thousands of the state’s jobs in jeopardy.

McCarthy, who represents California’s 23rd congressional district, is the highest-ranking Republican in the House. He lashed out late Friday on Twitter at a ban on the controversial process for extracting oil.

Newsom, a Democrat, wants to phase out hydraulic fracking over the next three years for environmental reasons. He issued an executive order that would see the state stop granting permits for the practice.

“Just terrible,” McCarthy wrote, sharing an article about the decision.

“Governor Newsom’s announcement will jeopardize hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs in California, lead us away from energy independence, and make the Golden State a more expensive place to live and raise a family.”

Representatives of the state’s oil industry also took aim at Newsom’s plan following the announcement.

“This is an illegal mandate and we will use every means to fight it,” oil industry spokesperson Kevin Slagle told Cal Matters.

Read more at Newsweek.