Happy Monday! If you’re reading this from New Jersey, don’t forget to vote tomorrow!

-Charlie and the AFPM EMPOWER team

As always, if you have questions, comments or ideas for our newsletter, you can respond directly to this email, or reach me at charlie@afpm.org.

What we’re reading this week

STEM summer camps - AFPM
Many AFPM members are volunteering their time, experience and knowledge to host STEM summer camps to inspire and educate young students in these fields. These camps include a variety of hands-on activities, workshops and presentations led by industry professionals.

California fuel imports hit 4-year high amid refinery outages - Reuters
California's fuel imports rose to the highest in four years in May as refiners turned to historical trading partners in Asia and tapped some unusual routes to make up for shortages in the No.2 U.S. oil consumer state, according to shipping data and traders.

GM Invests $888 Million in U.S. Plant for Next-Gen V-8 Production - Car and Driver
General Motors has heavily invested in electric vehicles…. But GM isn't giving up on internal-combustion engines either, as yesterday it announced that it will be investing $888 million in the production of a new generation of V-8 engines.

California gas prices could be big election issue in 2026 - The Hanford Sentinel
The price of gasoline in California is regularly the highest in the nation, as it was last week. That makes pain at the pump a ready-made, high-profile election issue, though sometimes more so than others. The 2026 election may be one of those times.

MIT Technology Could Slash Energy Use in Oil Refining by 90% - OilPrice.com
MIT engineers have developed a membrane that can filter the components of crude oil based on their molecular size, eliminating the need for crude oil distillation, which is highly energy-intensive.

A Timeline of the Trade War So Far Between the U.S. and China During Trump’s Second Term - Time
Through tariffs and counter-tariffs, dealmaking and dealbreaking, here’s a timeline of the U.S. and China’s tumultuous trade relations since the start of Trump’s second term.

AAA: Gas prices hold steady coming into summer busy season - CNY Central
Summer driving season is underway, and while gas prices normally peak this time of year, AAA reports that June gas prices haven't been this low since 2021.