In a move hailed by President Donald Trump as a cornerstone of his “America First” energy agenda, America First Refining (AFR) is preparing to break ground on the first major new oil refinery built in the United States in nearly five decades. Located at the deep-water Port of Brownsville, the $3-billion-plus facility is not just another industrial project — it is engineered from the ground up to process America’s abundant domestic light shale oil.

California's regulatory posture was aimed at moving the state away from fossil fuels. It appears that this goal is now becoming a reality with, the closure of major refineries within the state. These closures are now sending shock waves through neighboring states that were dependent upon California refineries, threatening higher gas prices and supply disruptions.