Tagged: gasoline

Legislation is expected to be introduced next month to change the way Michigan pays for road maintenance.

Governor Snyder has a two-part plan for road funding. The first part would switch to a gas tax based on the price of fuel, instead of the number of gallons sold. That’s important because gas tax revenues are slipping as people drive more fuel-efficient cars.

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) - AAA Michigan says gasoline prices are down about 13 cents per gallon during the past week to a statewide average of $3.20.

The auto club says Monday the average is about 20 cents per gallon higher than last year at this time.

Of the cities it surveys, AAA Michigan says the cheapest price for self-serve unleaded fuel is in the Saginaw and Bay City areas, where it's $3.10 a gallon. The highest average can be found in the Marquette area at $3.30.

Dearborn-based AAA Michigan surveys 2,800 Michigan gas stations daily.

 Gasoline prices spiked 20 to 25 cents across Michigan today.   

Patrick DeHaan is with GasBuddy.com.  He says the strong start to the holiday shopping season is pushing up speculation in the crude oil market and that in turn is affecting wholesale gasoline prices.   

“A lot of stations have just got close to the line where they’re no longer profitable," says DeHaan, "So, looking at a higher cost that they were paying for gasoline they decided that they had to raise their price.”    

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By Bob Allen for The Environment Report

Officials in Mason County have given the green light to the first large scale wind farm near the Lake Michigan shore. Consumers Energy wants to have fifty-six turbines built and running before the end of next year. But some residents say in its rush to get going Consumers and the County are downplaying a serious threat to public safety.

Natural gas pipelines run through the site of Consumers Energy’s wind park south of Ludington.

A group of residents says at least half a dozen of the windmills are within falling distance of a gas line. And they say if a turbine falls it could cause a pipeline to break with the risk of an explosion.

Hurricane Irene should not have an impact on Michigan gas prices, according to an industry analyst.  The hurricane is expected to make landfall along the North Carolina coast tomorrow, before bearing down on the Jersey shore, New York and New England Sunday. 

Michigan corn farmers may be losing a ‘safety net’.   The Congress is expected to vote soon on ending ethanol subsidies.    The move is expected to save the federal government $1.3 billion this year. 

Ethanol in the United States is mainly produced using corn.  Michigan farmers increased their corn production in recent years as federal mandates required ethanol in gasoline.  

Michigan gasoline prices are getting closer to four dollars again.  GasBuddy.com predicts prices will increase by another 5 to 10 cents during the next few days.  That’s on top of a 20 cent jump the week before the Fourth of July holiday weekend. 

Jason Teows with Gas Buddy says increasing demand is fueling the price increase at the gas pump.