An environmental group is spending six figures on a state ad campaign in a battleground state, targeting Governor Newsom's "climate leadership."

A six-figure ad buy by an environmental group criticizes Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's climate leadership in California, claiming his policies have hindered progress in the fight against climate change.

During his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, Newsom pledged to close the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility in California, which was the site of the largest methane leak in U.S. history. When asked about his plans, Newsom stated, "I'm fully committed to doing that." He added, "The question is how quickly can we do that, but my commitment is to make that happen. We need to be more aggressive than we have been."

Environmental groups are criticizing Governor Newsom for not shutting down the facility, despite his earlier commitment to do so.

On Monday, Food & Water Action, the political and lobbying arm of Food & Water Watch, announced a $100,000 ad buy against Newsom in four battleground states: Nevada, South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Michigan.

The ad campaign aims to criticize Newsom's handling of the Aliso Canyon facility, which contradicts his campaign promise on climate change.

"The public is seeking a leader who will stand firm against Trump's attack on the climate. Someone who follows through on their promises and doesn't back down," the ad states. "Gov. Newsom pledged to shut down Aliso Canyon, a site of a major gas blowout that caused a public health disaster. However, his public utilities commission is considering keeping it open indefinitely, in line with the oil and gas industry's wishes. We need climate leadership, not more delay and inaction."

Daniel Villaseñor, spokesperson for Newsom, stated that the Governor's energy policy is ambitious, not reckless.

"The spokesperson stated that they are committed to safely closing Aliso Canyon without harming working families with skyrocketing utility bills. While no governor has done more to accelerate their transition to clean and renewable energy, it would be irresponsible to close Aliso Canyon before demand for natural gas declines. This would be a recipe for precisely the same price spikes that have been seen in the gasoline market."

The California Public Utilities Commission will discuss the future of the Aliso Canyon facility on Dec. 19, with Villaseñor stating that Newsom wants it phased out but not at the expense of working families or the ability to maintain power.

The environmental group alleges that Newsom's efforts to present himself as a champion of climate change are undermined by his record in California.

Mitch Jones, deputy director of Food & Water Action, stated in a press release that Governor Newsom aims to establish himself as a prominent national leader on climate change and in opposition to Trump, but his credibility as a national leader will be compromised if his own household is not in order.

Jones stated that although Newsom has made progress on oil drilling, other policies have hindered climate advancements. These include weakening rooftop solar, supporting industry-backed plans like dirty biogas and carbon capture, and failing to fulfill his pledge to shut down Aliso Canyon.

Despite environmental groups' efforts to close it, California's largest underground natural gas storage facility continues to operate and has aided the state in avoiding energy price hikes, according to the Energy Information Administration.

In the months leading up to speculation about a potential presidential bid in 2028, the ads were launched in key states where the battle for votes was fierce.

During Biden's re-election campaign, Newsom was a prominent surrogate and was considered a potential successor as the Democratic Party's top candidate.

The governor's second term in Sacramento will end next year, coinciding with the start of the 2028 presidential election campaign.