Gas Falls Below $3 a Gallon
It’s still no bargain to fill up, but the average cost of a gallon of gasoline has declined significantly in the last month and is below $3 a gallon in most Northern California communities.
According to a new report from AAA of Northern California, which tracks gas prices as a service to consumers, the statewide average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas is now $2.96. That price represents a decrease of 26 cents per gallon from the last monthly AAA gas price report on Aug. 15.
“Right now the outlook is positive from the consumer’s perspective, but it’s difficult to say how long current conditions will remain in place,” said Sean Comey, spokesman for AAA of Northern California. “Unfortunately, some of the dynamics in the market that have led to lower retail prices could change with little or no warning.”
The recent drop in fuel prices resulted from a combination of factors. The cost of crude oil, the raw material from which gas is made, has fallen about 15 percent in the last few weeks. The recent pipeline problem in Alaska did not turn out to be as serious as it could have been. So far the Atlantic hurricane season has been mild. There is relative calm in the Middle East, at least as far as energy production is concerned. Consumption is declining because Americans tend to drive less after Labor Day than they do during the summer. Supplies of both gas and oil are rising.
The current average price in California is 8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, when Hurricane Katrina drove prices up dramatically. The most expensive average gas price in Northern California communities where AAA monitors fuel costs is in South Lake Tahoe, where regular unleaded sells for $3.16 per gallon. The lowest price among California cities tracked by AAA is in Tracy, where gas costs an average of $2.77 per gallon. In the Bay Area, the average price is $2.97. The statewide average record high price of $3.38 was set on May 18 this year.
The nationwide average price for regular unleaded is $2.61 per gallon, down 39 cents from the previous AAA gas price report on August 15. The national average is 35 cents per gallon lower than the California statewide average price. The least expensive gasoline in the country is found in Springfield, Mo., where regular unleaded costs an average of $2.22. The highest average price for gas in the United States in Wailuku, Hawaii, where a gallon of regular unleaded sells for $3.61. The highest price for gas in the continental United States is in the Southern California town of Blythe, where the average price is $3.28.
U.S. House Passes Wetlands Conservation Act
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed HR 5539, which reauthorizes the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA).
The NAWCA, first enacted in 1989, has become one of the most popular and effective conservation programs in the nation. Since the first wetlands grant was awarded 15 years ago, more than 1,500 conservation projects have been funded involving more than 3,200 partners. As a result, more than 23 million acres of wetlands and associated habitat has been protected, restored or enhanced in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“Wetlands are critical to the health of our environment, thousands of wild species and human safety,” Resources Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-Tracy) said in a written statement. “The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina reminded us of the importance of wetlands, which act as horizontal levees that protect American communities, private property and families from the unpredictable whims of nature.”
Wetlands are among the world’s most productive environments. Without these wetlands and coastal barriers, the impact of last year’s hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico would have been far worse in terms of human life, wildlife habitat and the destruction of private property. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, for every 2.7 miles a hurricane travels across marshes and wetlands, the storm surge is reduced by one foot.
In California alone, 71 NAWCA projects have been approved over the past 15 years, contributing to the conservation of nearly 500,000 acres of land and $236 million to wetlands protection.
“It is my hope that the U.S. Senate will also quickly approve this legislation in order to provide an opportunity for the President to sign this important conservation measure into law before the end of the year,” Pombo said.
Agricultural Burn Season Begins
According to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the burning season for agricultural fires to dispose of stubble and straw began Sept. 1 and continues through Dec. 31. To qualify as an agricultural burn, the fire must be deemed necessary and must be set or allowed by the area’s public fire official. Fires are subject to acreage limitations; material to be burned must be free of visible surface moisture.
Backyard burning of grass cuttings, prunings, leaves or trash has been prohibited in this area since 1970. Other controlled burns – including agricultural burns – are regulated under the Air District’s Open Burning Regulation. Each day is designated either “Burn” or “No Burn.” For more information, visit the BAAQM Web site at www.baaqmd.gov and follow the “Air Quality Status” links or phone 1-800-435-7247.
