California is importing oil halfway around the world from the Middle East and from South America when we have abundant oil reserves here, and that actually increases carbon emissions as well as raising gas prices.
OverstatedSteve Hilton, at California Governor General Election Debate (CNN)
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Why we checked itSpecific causal claim that importing oil from the Middle East and South America increases carbon emissions more than using domestic California oil — this is a verifiable empirical assertion about lifecycle emissions and California's oil import sources.
What we foundCalifornia does import significant oil from the Middle East and South America, and shipping does add carbon emissions, but the claim that this 'increases carbon emissions' compared to in-state production is disputed by credible environmental analysis, and the characterization of California having 'abundant oil reserves' overstates the technically recoverable potential.