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Gas Prices Take A Breather

California average drops below $3 a gallon

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 6, 2009

The average price is up more than 20 cents in the last four weeks. The average price of diesel fuel, meanwhile, is $2.833 a gallon, almost the same as seven days ago.

"The short term direction of oil and gasoline prices is vague as the markets enter the final two months of 2009," said Andrew Delmege, AAA's manager of regulatory affairs. "The 11-week long period of price stability seen over the summer, during which prices held within a ten dollar band between $65 and $75, has given way to modestly higher oil prices closer to $80 and a fair degree of uncertainty as to where they will head from here."

Missouri has the cheapest gas prices in the nation today. The average price of gas in the Show Me State is $2.511 a gallon.

Alaska has the most expensive gasoline in the U.S., with the statewide average at $3.419, followed by Hawaii at $3.304.

California remains the third most expensive state, but its average price has dropped below the $3 level, to $2.997 a gallon. The most expensive market for gasoline in the state is San Francisco, where the average price is $3.12 a gallon. The cheapest gas in California today is in the Yuba City metro, where the average price is $2.805 a gallon.

Gasoline prices would likly rise significantly under climate legislation beginning to make its way through Congress. But the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has produced a report suggesting motorists spending on gasoline might actually go down once the legislation takes effect.

The report says that at the same time gasoline prices will rise because of carbon taxes, Americans will be driving vehicles that are much more fuel efficient.

"You can't talk about gas price implications of cap and trade without also factoring in the impact of higher MPG standards," said ACEEE Transportation Program Director Therese Langer.

Meanwhile, the outlook for climate legislation in Congress is far from certain. Democrats are divided over the current bill while Republicans are unified in opposition.

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