Gas Prices where you live?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

3.94 in the up

and the government says prices "MIGHT" hit $4 this sumer



how bout, by the weekend

High prices at the pump are hurting everyone. Oil execs are barely making their rolls royce payments. Several have been forced to sell their villas in the south of france.

[Freak Out]

Polar Bears were listed as a threatened species today. Expect the speculators to push the price of oil higher as a result.

[Freak Out]

Polar Bear Is First Species Protected Because of Climate Change

By Adam Satariano

May 14 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. declared the polar bear a threatened species, giving protected status for the first time to an animal because of global warming.

The carnivore, which hunts on ice sheets that are shrinking because of higher Arctic temperatures, joins more than 1,200 species classified by the U.S. as threatened or endangered with extinction. Today's decision, accounced by Valerie Fellows, spokeswoman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, may create new obstacles for Alaskan oil drilling.

To contact the reporter on this story: Adam Satariano in San Francisco at asatariano1@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: May 14, 2008 14:31 EDT

[Freak Out]

We produce more oil than most places in America and still get the shaft. Whats funny is that Fairbanks has a refinery (North Pole)


Anchorage Daily News

Alaska average gas price first to pass $4

(05/15/08 12:46:11)

The average price for regular unleaded gasoline in Alaska rose above $4 a gallon Wednesday, making it the first state in the nation to pass that mark.

According to the American Automobile Association's Web site, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded rose to $4.022, making Alaska the only state in the nation with an average price above $4. The price had been $3.98 the day before.

Within Alaska, AAA reports prices in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, all of which averaged under $4 on Wednesday. The higher fuel prices in outlying areas raise the statewide average.

For Anchorage it showed an average price of $3.875 a gallon, up from $3.516 a month ago and $2.873 a year ago.

For Fairbanks, AAA said the average price was $3.963 on Wednesday, and the Juneau price was $3.909.

Diesel-fuel prices statewide averaged $4.54 a gallon, AAA said, an average topped by a half dozen states. A year ago the average was $2.89 a gallon in Alaska.

Anchorage diesel prices averaged $4.34 a gallon Wednesday, compared with $2.74 a year ago, AAA said.

[Freak Out]

Our Governor ran as a republican and she turns around and does something like this.
Not that I'm complaining......

Palin seeks $1.2 billion to slash energy bills


By SEAN COCKERHAM

(05/15/08 20:09:07)

Gov. Sarah Palin is proposing an energy cost relief plan to give Alaskans $100-a-month debit cards and pour state dollars into electric utilities so they'll slash their bills to ratepayers.

Palin's ambitious program, unprecedented in any other state, would last a year and cost $1.2 billion. The money would come out of the huge budget surplus the state government is enjoying because of the same high oil prices afflicting consumers at the pump.

Palin wants the Legislature to approve the plan this summer so it can start in September. She said the utility grants would mean a 60 percent reduction for all ratepayers.

Every Alaskan who qualifies for this year's Permanent Fund dividend check would also be eligible for an "Energy Debit Card" giving them $100 a month from the state.

The cards would have "merchant codes" so they could be used only for energy purchases at gas stations, fuel distributorships, utilities and the like. The $100-a-month for children could be added onto the balance of their parents' cards. Any Alaskan who activates a card would have to pay the federal income taxes on it, but unused balances on the card would roll over from one month to the next.

The plan was announced the same day that Alaska became the first state where the average pump price for a gallon of unleaded gas topped $4, according to the American Automobile Association. It was just under that around Anchorage and Fairbanks on Thursday and much higher across much of the rest of the state.

Palin said it makes sense to return some of the state surplus to the suffering public.

"It's really atrocious, the situation that Alaskans are in today," Palin said. "Where we, as the owners of the energy resources, are paying outrageous prices for use of those resource."Choking on price tage

Some legislators were choking on the $1.2 billion price tag for Palin's program.

"It's taking my breath away," said Anchorage Democratic Rep. Harry Crawford. "I don't know what to think about it, it's so huge."

House Speaker John Harris has been pushing for energy cost relief but wasn't sure about debit cards.

"That would be hard to implement," the Valdez Republican said. "I think you'd have a lot of potential for fraud."

Harris said a person could sell their debit card and use the money to buy something else.

Many other legislators said they need more time to digest the governor's plan. Some praised Palin for proposing a solution they felt might work.

"I was very pleased. I like the fact that it's a one-year program and not creating a long-term subsidy," said Eagle River Republican Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom.

The debit cards would be expected to cost the state $729 million. The grants to electric utilities would be another $475 million. Palin said the state can afford it.

Oil prices of around $120 per barrel mean far more money from oil taxes and royalties than the state expected at its last revenue forecast a month and a half ago.

Even if oil prices gradually decline over the next year, the state would wind up with $2.7 billion more than the forecast, said revenue commissioner Pat Galvin.

The surplus could go much higher if the stratospheric oil prices of recent weeks continue, Galvin said. He said the state could get $1.8 billion more than expected in just three months if the futures prices that financial markets use for trading turn out to be right.

Anchorage Democratic Rep. Crawford said the state needs to do something to help the needy with high costs. But this windfall can also be saved for the future, he said.

Palin said it's not right to let money pile up in the state treasury while people pay more and more.

Timing uncertain

It's not clear exactly when the Legislature will consider the governor's proposal.

The governor has already called the Legislature into a special session on the proposed natural gas pipeline to begin June 3. Palin said she might add energy cost relief to those deliberations or have it as the subject of its own special session.

Legislators seems a lot more interested in giving grants to utilities at this point than in issuing debit cards. The grants would be conditional on rates' being reduced, a Palin aide said, and state utility regulators would ensure that's what happens.

Under the plan, utilities could also get more state aid if they take conservation measures.

Palin's aides said the energy debit cards aren't much different from cards the state already gives people who are on public assistance. The aides conceded that giving them to everybody for energy costs is a unique idea for Alaska.

"I am not familiar with another state in the nation that faces similar energy costs or similar energy wealth," said Palin special assistant Joe Balash.

[GBRulz]

$4 gas hit Green Bay. Most stations are at $3.90 but I went past one on the east side this morning @ 4 bucks.

[GrnBay007]

$4 gas hit Green Bay. Most stations are at $3.90 but I went past one on the east side this morning @ 4 bucks.

$3.87 here. Ugh......Holiday weekend coming up ....fill up today.

[Freak Out]

The State Legislators were called to special session and will start hashing out a new natural gas pipeline contract as well as our "energy debit cards". This is great....if I work it right I'll drive free for a year...I might even be able to stockpile some diesel.

[GoPackGo]

$3.69 is the highest I've seen so far

[Oscar]

It's 3.69 here in Missouri today. Thought I'd fill up before the holiday.

[oregonpackfan]

Yesterday, Portland, OR had its first gas station above $4 a gallon. It registered $4.07/gallon. Ouch!

[Bossman641]

3.69?

3.95 here, and that's what all the stations are.

[Freak Out]

Here is the place to go buy the new ride! Only in America baby.

http://www.max71.com/

[Tarlam!]

Yesterday, I paid €1.51 per litre for friggin Diesel! DIESEL!!!!!

I don't know how the $ stands to the € these days. But a litre is about 1/4 of a gallon, IIRC.

Patler? How much did I pay in real money?

[GBRulz]

diesel is almost $5 gallon here, Tarlam. I don't know how that equates to your money.

Yeah, gas went up 20 cents...last night it was 3.79 and today it's 3.99 all over Green Bay. In a job where I travel quite a bit, even though it's a job that I really like....it's time to really start weighing out my other options. I am spending about $100 a week now in gas. and my car gets 30-32 mpg.