SOUTH DAKOTA GAS PRICES SOAR 16 CENTS IN 15 DAYS

NEWS from AAA South Dakota, April 11 – South Dakota’s statewide average price for self-serve regular gasoline has jumped 16 cents in the last 15 days, according to AAA’s FuelGaugeReport.com. On March 28, the state average stood at $3.55 per gallon. Today’s price average is $3.71.

“Pump prices are trending higher right along with crude oil prices. Unfortunately for the motorist, crude is at 30-month highs, flirting with $112 per barrel on the New York Mercantile,” said Mark Madeja, spokesman for AAA South Dakota. “Unrest in the Middle East and Northern Africa continue to be the driving force behind these unusually high crude oil prices, along with what’s happening in Japan and the weakening U.S. dollar.”

The nation’s most expensive gas today is in Hawaii with an average of $4.42, followed by California at $4.15, Alaska, $4.13 and Illinois, $3.99.

“We haven’t seen gas prices this high in South Dakota since March 15, 2008 when the state average stood at $3.728,” said Madeja. “Over the past year, the state average has risen 79 cents a gallon.”

Helping to fuel these higher pump prices is the seasonal switch refineries are undergoing right now from producing winter blends to turning out the cleaner-burning summer blends required by the Environmental Protection Agency.

For tips on saving money at the pump along with useful fuel-related links, visit AAA.com and click on Fuel News & Tools.