Gas prices hold steady in region
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Gasoline prices in Western Pennsylvania did not head skyward for the Fourth of July, dropping a slight three-tenths of a cent from last week.
The average cost of a gallon of unleaded self-serve is $3.053, according to a report from AAA East Central. That figure is 57.8 cents higher than it was a year ago, at $2.475.
Pennsylvania’s average price is $3.01, among the highest in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region. Connecticut ($3.08) is at the top, followed by Pennsylvania, New York and Washington, D.C., at $3.01.
Six Western Pennsylvania counties, including Washington, will benefit from the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to change the Air Quality Plan. It will drop the mandate for low-grade summer gasoline for the summer driving season (May 1-Sept. 15), effective Aug. 14. The summer blend is more expensive to produce than the winter blend.
Fayette, Westmoreland, Armstrong, Beaver and Butler are the other affected counties.
The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region had the largest buildup of inventory – 1.2 million barrels – of any region nationally. Its 67 million barrels are at the highest level since June 2017.
Washington’s average gasoline price is $3.074 this week, 13th lowest among 22 Western Pennsylvania cities and towns listed by AAA. Altoona ($2.978) and Bradford ($2.985) had the lowest averages, Jeannette and Mercer the highest at $3.119.
The U.S. average is $2.86, the highest level for the July 4 holiday in four years, but 11 cents cheaper than it was on Memorial Day only five weeks ago.