Yesterday, Thursday, March 3, 2022, I had a very unusual experience at the gas pumps at the Shell Station on Rio Road. I was in my Sprinter and needed to get diesel. I inserted my credit card, noted the price was 5.399, as I expected from the sign out front and proceeded to pump the diesel. A Ram pick up pulled up on the other side. While pumping, I looked up at the sign of the prices, and it was in the process of clearing. WHILE I was pumping gas at 5.399/gallon, the prices started disappearing, and before I was finished pumping, the price for diesel had gone up 50¢/gallon! I got it for 5.399, but the guy in the Ram paid 5.899/gallon for the same gas only a few minutes later than me.

Boy, was I glad I made it there by 9 am! Won’t be driving the Sprinter anytime soon, so who knows what I will pay next time?

Note, because of a political comment I got, I looked up his claim that we were energy independent during the last administration, and found this:

“ President Biden has passed policies that could negatively impact domestic oil supplies in the future. However, thus far the price surge is primarily a result of 3 million barrels per day (BPD) of oil production that was lost in the spring of 2020 that hasn’t fully recovered. Demand has fully recovered, so that is the fundamental reason for the surge in prices. Further, that surge began in the fall of 2020 — five months before President Trump left office.” Robert Rapier, Senior Contributor on Energy for Forbes Magazine https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2021/11/14/is-the-us-energy-independent/

YAY JIMMY!!!

Press ReleaseMarch 3, 2022https://panetta.house.gov	Contact:  Hugh Daly(202) 225-4344Hugh.Daly@mail.house.gov

Rep. Panetta Announces $18 Million in Funds

to Replace Nacimiento Fire Station Lost in Dolan Fire

SALINAS, CA – Today, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide $18 million in federal funding to replace the Nacimiento Fire Station that was lost in the Dolan Fire.  The U.S. Forest Service will use this funding to replace the fire station, barracks, engine garage, and pumphouse, as well as implement site utilities such as a water well, solar connections, and access roads.  

“The loss of the Nacimiento Fire Station during the Dolan fire was devastating for our firefighters and community.  Maintaining a functional fire station in such a remote location prone to wildfires is crucial to protecting the Los Padres National Forest and surrounding areas,” said Rep. Panetta.  “After a few years and some fierce advocacy, I’m glad to see the federal government responding with significant funding to restore the emergency response capabilities at this location.  Considering our constant and extreme vulnerability to wildfires, as well as the resolve to fight those fires by our local fire personnel, I’m proud that the federal government is doing its part to rebuild this station and contribute to the safety of our region.”

“We appreciate Congressman Panetta’s efforts to help secure the funding needed to rebuild the Nacimiento Fire Station,” said U.S. Forest Service Monterey District Ranger, Tim Short. “This fire station has historically played a critical role for wildfire suppression along the Big Sur coast.”

These funds were provided as Supplemental Disaster Funding through the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act of 2021.  The disaster assistance funding is a share of the $1.36 billion of supplemental appropriations provided to the Forest Service.

###

Hugh Daly | Communications Director

Office of Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20)

406 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

Hugh.Daly@mail.house.gov | (202) 225-4344

There was one other place where the light turned green just before I got there, so I am missing a photo of that. And the signals at Garrapata were off and no construction going on there. Five total areas yesterday on my way to town. Good thing I didn’t have an emergency.