“We have a crisis on our hand that may have been self-created by the actions perhaps taken by the state, by regulators,” Democratic Assemblyman David Alvarez of San Diego said on Wednesday at the hearing, according to KCRA.

“I know what climate leadership does not look like, and that is $10 gas,” Democratic Assemblyman Cottie Petrie-Norris told regulators at the hearing.

California has the highest average per-gallon gas price at the pump compared to any other state, according to AAA gas price data. Meanwhile, California regulators have suggested increasing state involvement in refinery management, including the possibility of de facto state-owned refineries.

The California Legislature has granted regulatory agencies authority to establish stringent new rules for the oil and gas industry. In recent special legislative sessions, lawmakers backed Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to create new storage and maintenance rules for refiners, according to the publication. Newsom has also called on regulators to do more to keep oil refineries in the state, though he has allowed for the creation of stringent rules that produce a hostile environment for energy producers.

The regulators were met with several questions and criticism as lawmakers voiced concerns that regulators have overlooked Californian consumers and drivers by aggressively pursuing a green energy transition, though Democratic leadership in the state allowed — and even encouraged — agencies to enact strict regulations for years.

“I think I also heard you say that another closure can lead to a significant increase in costs to consumers on the price of gas?” Alvarez asked a regulator.

Phillips 66 and Valero both announced plans to close refineries in the state in 2024, and the retiring facilities jointly account for roughly 20% of California’s refining capacity, according to KCRA.