gasoline price approaches $5.00 per gallon in northern California....

[mike_c]

http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_21705460/humboldt-gas-prices-spike-4-89-perfect-storm

Humboldt gas prices spike to $4.89

Gas prices in Eureka crept toward $5 for a gallon of regular gas Thursday, rising nearly 40 cents over the last few days.

The North Coast typically has the highest prices of any area in California -- and the state currently has the highest prices in the lower 48 states, according to AAA.com.

”It's horrible,” said Eurekan Michael Piretti, filling up his GMC Safari Thursday afternoon. Piretti said he bought the van a few years back, before gas prices rose. Now he regrets it.

(snip)

Lee Penrose -- filling up his RV at Broadway Performance Thursday -- said he knows firsthand that Eureka gas prices are among the highest anywhere in the country. An Ohio resident, Penrose is traveling all over the West. He said gas prices in Eureka were higher than he paid in Alaska. Alaska's average price is $4.13, AAA.com said.

I could not believe the jump in prices over the last week. We started the week at about $4.39/gallon, and yesterday hit $4.90.

[abelenkpe]

1. They're up in LA too

I don't understand why anyone who lived through 2007 would not have switched to an energy efficient vehicle if they had to make a purchase.

[Initech]

2. $4.89 at the station I drove by this morning.

[Ikonoklast]

3. CARB is the reason prices in California are so high.

Really can't have it both ways.

[railsback]

4. Negative

Speculators are manufacturing a shortage crisis.

[Ikonoklast]

9. Almost impossible to do on a geographic basis.

California blend gasoline is however, geographically specific, along with whatever tax rate the state imposes.

And California specific gasoline costs more to refine, and that cost gets passes onto the consumer.

Sorry, but CARB has almost EVERYTHING to do with current prices of refined petroleum prices in California.

[kestrel91316]

5. Jumped from $4.03 to $4.65 this week in the San Fernando Valley.

That's at the El Cheapo station. Others are higher.

Glad I never replaced my car after it got stolen.

[MindPilot]

6. Up 20 cents overnight in San Diego

Glad I tanked up the hybrid a couple days ago.

[Bigmack]

7. We are seeing the future and

it's rat-shit scary......NOT surprising, but rat-shit scary! Ms Bigmack

[Agnosticsherbet]

8. Here in San Diego, also.

[mercuryblues]

10. more than env laws.

The supply squeeze in the state has been caused by a recent series of refinery accidents and maintenance shutdowns that have sent both wholesale and retail gasoline prices surging.

California retailers and consumers can expect no relief until the refinery situation is turned around. The state's stringent environmental laws require that a specific blend of gasoline be sold in the state, vastly reducing the the possibility of importing gasoline from elsewhere to fill the gap.

"We'll have to wait for the downed refineries to come back," said Sander Cohan, principal at energy consulting firm ESAI Inc.


http://investing.businessweek.

[mike_c]

11. there is a greed component as well, I think....

We receive our gasoline by barge here on the North Coast, and it's usually priced significantly more expensive here, just a few miles from the barge terminal, than several hours drive distant, where the same gasoline is sold after having been trucked from the same terminal for half the day. For less.

[Cleita]

12. I was shocked myself although we jumped here on the Central Coast

from $4.09 a gallon last week to $4.49 at Arco, the cheapest station today. I'm going to go buy 4 gallons today as I am almost on empty. It's all I can afford and I don't know how far I can go on with this. It's shear robbery.

[flyguyjake]

13. The Repukes still blame Obama!

Here's the facts;

*Aug. 6 fire at a Chevron Refinery cut production
*Exxon Mobil Corp. Refinery had power troubles
*Chevron pipeline that moves crude to Northern California also was shut down
*CA summer blend of cleaner-burning gasoline during hot summer months.
*Clean air regulations in CA
*And let’s not forget that gas was $4.61 under Bush in 2008! So don't blame Obama!

Oil production is at a 15 year high in the US!
Crude oil imports are at a 15 year low!

It's the oil companies that are screwing us!
Repukes need their heads examined!