In a letter sent Thursday, Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego urged the White House to address Arizona’s rising gas prices.
He wrote in a letter to Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, that the Trump administration needs to address the increase in gas prices and the unique situation Arizona consumers are in.
The cost of an average gallon in Phoenix has climbed nearly 60 cents in the last month, to $3.40. Julian Paredes, an AAA spokesperson for Arizona, said the national average is now $3.16. He also said the main cause of the price spike is refinery maintenance, which is expected to wrap up in a few weeks.
"Some of it was scheduled," Paredes said. "Some refineries were expected to go down, but there was an additional one that went down unexpectedly due to a fire. Having that additional refinery go down did damage on top of everything else."
Gallego pointed out that each summer, Arizona transitions to a more expensive blend of gas that’s required to mitigate air pollution. He asked the Trump administration to consider allowing the state to use comparable blends that are less expensive.
"Since most of this boutique gasoline comes from out of state, delivery disruptions are unfortunately relatively common and cause prices to skyrocket," Gallego wrote in his letter.
Arizona uses a blend of gas known as Cleaner Burning Gas, which is meant to mitigate pollution and protect air quality in the state. There are different formulations used in the summer and the winter.
Paredes also said Maricopa County has the most expensive gas in Arizona, averaging around $3.64 per gallon, while Greenlee County has the cheapest, at $3.05.
"As we work to uphold existing agreements between Arizona and the EPA, and to protect our state's air quality, we must also ensure that we are keeping consumers in mind," Gallego wrote. "Arizona's families and business owners should not have to pay almost a dollar more than people in other states because of CBG."
-
The union that represents Sun Tran bus and streetcar drivers, ratified a three-year collective bargaining agreement this week following a union vote in June to authorize a strike. -
Downtown Phoenix has finally happened. Condo towers, restaurants, entertainment venues and retail establishments now occupy once-empty lots. And there’s nowhere to park — the sure sign of a thriving metropolis. But, can Phoenix ever be walkable? -
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is demanding that automated vehicle developers keep their tech from interfering with police and firefighting activity. -
Court records show the judge in the case has denied the schools’ request for a preliminary injunction, saying they failed to prove the fees would cause them irreparable harm. -
Ellie Fini says we need to be paying more attention to what that pavement is made of — and what it might be doing to our health.
