Blue States Slam Fossil Fuels In Politics, Lean On Them For Energy

BusinessEnergyBlue States Slam Fossil Fuels In Politics, Lean On Them For EnergyByDavid Blackmon,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Blackmon is a Texas-based public policy analyst/consultant.Follow AuthorMay 12, 2026, 07:57am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: (L-R) Governors Wes Moore of Maryland, Kathy Hochul of New York and Tim Walz of Minnesota speak to reporters after a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on July 03, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)Getty ImagesOne of the most revealing energy stories in America right now is not in Texas, Oklahoma, or North Dakota. It is in the bluest states in the country. From Hawaii to New York, California, and Massachusetts, elected officials in blue states still talk as if punishing oil and gas companies is a leading strategy. But when electric bills spike, fuel prices jump, or grid warnings intensify, those same officials keep circling back to the fossil-fuel infrastructure they insist they are leaving behind. That is a real national contradiction. Blue-state climate politics says one thing, but actual blue-state energy policies are increasingly doing another. Hawaii Sets The Blue State ToneHawaii is a clear example, but not the only one. The state still faces the highest electricity prices in the nation – higher even than fellow blue state California - and federal data show its residents also had the highest average monthly residential electric bill in 2024 even while using relatively little power. That cost burden is one reason Governor Josh Green’s administration has spent so much effort engaging Japanese energy giant JERA’s proposal to modernize Oahu’s aging grid with new gas-backed generation and LNG import capacity. Governor of Hawaii Josh Green speaks during a press conference about the destruct...