Oil industry aids effort to suspend CA climate law

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With major contributions from the oil industry, supporters of a ballot initiative to suspend California's landmark greenhouse gas emissions law reported a fundraising tally Tuesday of more than $5.2 million in the past 3 months.

The numbers disclosed by the Yes on 23 campaign reflected the continued backing of three out-of-state oil companies — Valero Corp. and Tesoro Corp. of Texas, and Flint Hills Resources, a Wichita, Kan.-based company owned by Koch Industries.

The companies contributed a combined $5 million during the period ending September 30.

In all, the campaign has raised $8.3 million during the first nine months of the year and has $3.1 million remaining cash on hand.

Opponents of the initiative said they expected the petroleum industry to keep pouring money into Proposition 23 before the November 2 vote.

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