Chevron Headquarters to Move from California to Texas
Chevron, the oil corporation founded in California 145 years ago, has recently announced it is moving its headquarters from the Bay Area to Houston. This move comes after years of conflict with Sacramento lawmakers regarding energy and climate legislation. Chevron is one part of the larger petroleum industry’s exodus from California. This move also reflects California’s shift away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Scholars of the impacts of oil production on people’s health, such as Sarah Elkind from San Diego State University, posit that Chevron is leaving to avoid regulations and scrutiny.
California is meant to be a beacon of progressive policies. The fact that these policies have caused an oil giant such as Chevron to leave the state is a good thing. Chevron has been poisoning our environment and our democracy for decades, and the fact they feel they can no longer do that in California is a testament to climate legislation making an impact. This leaves room for new jobs and opportunities that are climate-friendly. Chevron has also been dodging property taxes for years due to the corporate loophole in Prop. 13. The only shame in them leaving the state is that they won’t pay back the billions they have robbed from our schools and communities over the years.
Josh Edelson / For The Times
Chevron, after 145 years in California, is relocating to Texas, a milestone in oil’s long decline in the state
By Don Lee | LA Times | August 2nd, 2024