State of Gold California's Billion Dollar Water Mistake That's Been Hidden Since the 70s - Edward Ring
Guest:
Edward Ring – Director of Water & Energy Policy, California Policy Center
Guest Bio:
Edward Ring is the Director of Water and Energy Policy at the California Policy Center and a founding member of the think tank. He is also the author of The Abundance Choice: Our Fight for More Water in California. With decades of experience analyzing state infrastructure, environmental policy, and governance, Edward offers a data-backed and often controversial lens on what’s fueling California’s decline — and how to fix it.
Show Summary
What if California’s biggest environmental crises — from water shortages to wildfires — were actually manmade policy failures? In this compelling episode, Edward Ring unpacks the unintended consequences of the state’s well-meaning but often disastrous legislation. From banning dredging that would increase water flow, to mismanaging forest land and outsourcing oil refining to countries with no environmental standards – he exposes how California’s current path is both ineffective and regressive. Whether you agree with his take or not, this episode will leave you thinking differently about California’s future.
Chapters
00:00 – California's Environmental Crises Are Manmade
01:12 – Meet Edward Ring: Policy Expert and Author
03:02 – How Dredging Could Solve the Water Shortage
05:28 – Water Management Is Being Politicized07:41 – Wildfires: Mismanagement vs. Climate
10:35 – The Myth of Net Zero and Global Emissions
13:15 – Why California's Energy Policy is Failing
15:42 – CEQA's Role in the Housing Crisis
18:30 – The Downside of Green Energy Dogma
21:00 – The Case for Common-Sense Infrastructure
23:25 – Why Refinery Closures Are Hurting California
26:00 – Can We Have Both Growth and Conservation?
28:45 – How Policy Reform Could Restore Affordability
31:20 – Final Thoughts on California’s Path Forward
Connect with Edward
Twitter: https://x.com/edring
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-ring/
Website: https://californiapolicycenter.org/people/edward-ring/
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to our podcast, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join the conversation on Instagram and LinkedIn with the hashtag #stateofgoldpodcast
Connect with State of Gold