United States refining capacity

Why have no U.S. refineries been built in 50 years? Certainly, it's not Trump's fault. The short answer is extremists attached to the Democrat Party. At least, that's how I interpreted the co-pilot answer.

Co-pilot (AI) "The combination of STRICT ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS, high capital costs, uncertain future demand, and federal policies FAVORING REDUCED PETROLEUM USE has effectively halted the construction of new major oil refineries in the U.S. for nearly five decades. Existing refineries continue to be upgraded to meet demand, but new greenfield projects remain economically and politically challenging."

 
Between 2000- 2022, "the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has entered into 37 settlements covering 112 refineries across 32 states with companies that control more than 95% of total U.S. refining capacity, according to a database of EPA enforcement actions. ' https://www.insights-global.com/the-us-hasnt-built-a-major-oil-refinery-in-nearly-50-years-heres-why/?

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/25/iran-war-gas-prices-epa-waiver.html?

So, the next time a Democrat complains about the price of gasoline, remind her of all those clean air regs and the green new deal.

Hazy and smoky in central Ohio

This is from a Forbes article 4 years ago. But we had heard it from an Arizona tourist guide in 2003--environmental regulations are part of the problem with wildfires. You wonder what other "green" goals will cause havoc in 20 years.

"Yet in spite of blaming climate change and attacking President Trump for suggesting bad environmental policies made California’s fires worse, California’s outgoing governor, Jerry Brown, quietly signed two bills to correct the worst of the state’s fire management policy missteps, proving Trump was right all along." (Forbes, Nov. 27, 2018)

Not a topic I usually research, but central Ohio is pretty smoky from 161 fires in Canada. A friend posted on Facebook an aerial photo of Mt. Verson, OH, and you can barely see the town. Our dinner guest last night had already sought emergency medical attention for his asthma earlier in the day.

Update: Everyone's talking about the smoky haze and hot weather. Photos of downtown Columbus are amazing--we can hardly see it.   And I'm concerned about the guys on my neighbor's roof. They've been replacing it for over 12 hours. Want to bet they are immigrants?