Drivers around the country are filling up for less than two bucks a gallon.
$1.97 gas has reached Colorado.
In May it was $3.29 pic.twitter.com/T8uIpadXpg
— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) November 29, 2025
Meanwhile, Nevada families are still paying more than double that because our entire fuel supply is chained to California, a state that seems determined to make gas as expensive as possible.
Almost 90 percent of the fuel Nevada uses comes from California refineries.
So when California passes another “climate rule,” jacks up another tax, or pushes another refinery to shut down or convert to biofuels, guess who pays for it?
Not just Californians. Us. Every family in Las Vegas. Every business in Reno. Every rancher in rural Nevada.
California has already cut more than 10 percent of its refining capacity. And they’re bragging about shutting down even more.
Fueled by politics, not common sense. Their leaders don’t care what it does to gas prices. But their decisions hit Nevada harder than anyone.
The crazy thing is how simple the solution is.
Nevada can kill two birds with one stone. We can create real Nevada jobs while breaking free from California’s expensive, destructive fuel policies.
And we already had the money sitting on the table.
And Hollywood almost walked away with the cash.
Lawmakers were ready to spend hundreds of millions, maybe even a billion+ dollars, on a giant permanent film studio project in Las Vegas.
Not a temporary set. This was going to be a full-time, long-term studio. But even then, the numbers were awful.
State analysts found Nevada would only get about 52 cents back for every dollar given to the project. A losing deal. A giveaway.
And lawmakers dropped it in both the regular session and the special session this year for one simple reason. It just didn’t work for taxpayers.
But that money doesn’t have to vanish. And it shouldn’t.
That same money could build real energy independence for the Silver State.
Instead of throwing huge tax credits at Hollywood, Nevada can use that pool of cash to build fuel independence and shield families from California’s nonsense.
We could build more storage tanks in Las Vegas and Reno so we’re not living on just a few days of supply.
When California has a refinery hiccup, our prices wouldn’t jump overnight. We’d have weeks of fuel ready.
We could expand pipeline access from Utah and other states that haven’t destroyed their refining industry.
We could build new terminals that bring in fuel from places that believe in energy, not “energy experiments.”
These projects would cut California out of our fuel equation. And that means cheaper gas. Predictable gas.
And gas that’s controlled by Nevada, not lawmakers 600 miles away who care more about pleasing activists than keeping working families afloat.
And here’s where the second bird gets hit: JOBS.
You want a real Nevada jobs program? Build infrastructure. Build energy independence. Build the backbone that keeps our state running.
Storage tanks. Pipelines. Terminals. Distribution hubs.
These projects take years to build and years to operate. They give steady work to Nevada trades workers, truck drivers, welders, operators, engineers, and support teams.
A permanent film studio would’ve created some jobs. Sure.
But those jobs still depend on tax credits and whether California’s film incentives pull productions away again.
Energy jobs don’t work that way. They don’t chase subsidies. They stay where the infrastructure is built.
And once we cut California out of our fuel supply, Nevada drivers finally get to enjoy the cheap gas other states already have.
Governor Joe Lombardo’s focused on practical, steady leadership. Using failed Hollywood money to build fuel independence fits that message.
It protects families from California’s ridiculous energy rules. It builds long-term jobs. And it gives Nevada control over its own fuel supply.
Nevada doesn’t have to live by California’s mistakes. We don’t have to accept their high gas prices. We don’t have to let their politics set our cost of living.
We can build our way out of this. We can cut the cord. Cheaper gas for Nevada. Real jobs for Nevada. A stronger future for Nevada.
That’s the real opportunity on the table.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology was used in the research, writing, and production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
