As of Jan. 1 of this year, Washingtonians are paying for a new cap-and-trade system
Timothy Schumann
The Center Square Washington
The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.57 statewide on Monday, up from $4.50 a week before, according to AAA data. Washingtonians are paying for three months of fuel price increases this calendar year following the implementation of a carbon tax earlier this year.
This 7 cents per gallon increase moved opposite the national average, which fell from $3.67 per gallon to $3.66 per gallon, a 1 cent per gallon decrease over the same time period.
“The recent surge in oil costs took a break this week, with the price of oil tumbling back into the upper $70s per barrel,” AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said in a statement. “If this oil price trend continues, drivers may see falling gas prices.”
While that oil price may be reflected in the slight one-cent per gallon decrease nationally, residents of the Evergreen State are paying more than most. Washington’s pump prices currently stand at the fourth most expensive nationally. Only California, Hawaii, and Arizona are pricier.
Washington’s $4.57 per gallon places it 91 cents per gallon higher than the national average of $3.66 per gallon. It is also $1.44 per gallon more than what Mississippi residents – the nation’s least expensive fuel cost of $3.13 per gallon – pay.
Washington intra-state variance remains high at $1.33 per gallon, down 2 cents per gallon from last week. San Juan and Asotin counties had the most and least expensive gas prices in the state, at $5.16 and $3.83 per gallon.
Residents to the west of the Cascade range continue to pay higher premiums at the pump.
As of Jan. 1 of this year, Washingtonians are paying for a new cap-and-trade system.
“The first auction of CO2 allowances [averaged] $48.50 per metric ton of CO2. This equates to about 39 cents per gallon of gasoline and 47 cents per gallon of diesel,” announced a report by the Washington Policy Center based on recently released Washington State Department of Ecology data.
This report was first published by The Center Square Washington.
Also read:
- Opinion: Transit agencies need accountability not increased state subsidy
Charles Prestrud argues that Washington transit agencies face rising costs and declining ridership due to governance structures that lack public accountability. - Opinion: Does tailgating cause speeding?
Target Zero Manager Doug Dahl examines whether tailgating contributes to speeding and explains why following too closely increases crash risk with little benefit. - Free fares on New Year’s Eve is a big hit with C-TRAN riders
C-TRAN’s New Year’s Eve free-fare program provided extended late-night service and a safe transportation option for riders across Clark County just after midnight. - Four Western WA counties granted $6.6M in federal funds for road safety programs
Four Western Washington counties will receive $6.6 million in federal funding for road safety projects, including an EMS pilot program in Clark County. - VIDEO: WA and OR lawmakers irked as update on I-5 Bridge costs still missing
Washington and Oregon lawmakers expressed frustration after planners failed to provide updated cost estimates for the I-5 Bridge replacement during a recent legislative oversight meeting.
wpDiscuz
