Island gas prices spike 35 cents in one week
Next stop: $4 a gallon?
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
It was bad enough last week when island drivers could not find regular gas for less than $3.14 a gallon, but last weekend the cheapest regular available jumped to a whopping $3.49 and the lowest super stood at $3.67.

Harbor Fuel president John Stackpole said he will not be surprised if the price hits or exceeds a record-breaking $4 a gallon before the summer ends.

Echoing reports on the national news, Stackpole, whose company furnishes gasoline to three of Nantucket's four gas stations, said the problem stems from the fact that several refineries are off-line because of needed repairs and maintenance. In addition, strict environmental regulations make it difficult and time-consuming for fuel suppliers to build new refineries, which keeps capacity in the U.S. very limited. The cost of processing the product in other countries and then importing it is high and ultimately is passed on to the consumer.

"I don't think there will be a shortage, but the prices will be up there," Stackpole said, adding that because Harbor Fuel is making repairs and conducting inspections on its tank farm right now, it is both trucking and barging gas to the island, so the pump price may change again as early as next week.

Currently, Hatch's is selling regular for $3.49 and super grade for $3.70 a gallon. At On-Island Gas, which is an independent station and usually the least expensive, regular is at $3.52 and super is $3.76. Both of those stations are full-service. Selfserve regular at Mid-Island Gas (formerly D & B) is $3.53 with super selling for $3.77 compared to $3.54 per gallon of full-service or self-serve regular at the airport station, where self-serve super is $3.67 and fullservice super is $3.78.

The national average for regular as of yesterday was $3.21 per gallon with the Massachusetts average at $3.02.

Stackpole and others familiar with the fuel industry know that, in general, gasoline demand is higher at the beginning and end of the summer than in June and July, which may bring a leveling off of prices for a time.

Still, it is hard to predict what drivers are really in for this year. Unfortunately, the price at the pump will produce a ripple effect. Consumers should not be shocked if landscapers charge more because of the cost of running machines, grocery prices rise because of the cost of operating equipment and businesses, such as delivery companies, levy a

gas surcharge on their bills. I