The Iran war didn't make your heating bill this high. Blue-state energy policy did
- Refinery count has plummeted from 301 in 1982 to just 130 today.
- New York's pipeline blockade leaves Pennsylvania gas stranded while residents pay premium prices.
- Local Law 97 and similar mandates force costly retrofits, with bills passed directly to tenants.
- State-level suppression of reliable nuclear and coal power creates artificial scarcity and price spikes.
Brief Summary
While global conflicts provide a convenient scapegoat for rising fuel costs, the real culprit is a systematic strangulation of domestic energy infrastructure. Decades of restrictive permitting, the refusal to build new refineries, and aggressive state-level climate mandates have left the U.S. vulnerable to global market volatility. By blocking pipeline projects and shuttering reliable power plants, states are effectively forcing their own citizens to overpay for energy that is abundant just across state lines.
Why This Matters
You are paying the premium for a self-imposed energy crisis. When local governments block pipelines and mandate expensive building retrofits, the costs don't vanish—they are baked into your rent, your groceries, and your utility bills. Because energy prices are interconnected, the lack of regional infrastructure means you are bidding against the rest of the world for your own home's heat. Expect to see these costs continue to trickle down into every aspect of your daily life until policy shifts from ideological virtue signaling to basic arithmetic: increasing supply to meet demand.