OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna said that he is teaming up with the Governor's Office and the Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development (CTED) to investigate factors that influence gasoline prices in the state.
Washington consumers frequently wonder why gas prices are consistently higher in some areas of the state than others, McKenna said. To answer that question and analyze Washington's current petroleum market generally, the Attorney General's Office, governor and CTED are partnering to launch state government's [image-nocss] most comprehensive investigation of that market in 16 years.
The state expects to publish findings from the first phase of this investigation in July and will share the results during a series of public forums this fall, it said.
This study's findings will give us the information we need to help legislators, county and city executives and other constituents better understand the transportation fuel market, fuel prices and how they affect Washington consumers, said CTED Director Juli Wilkerson.
The investigation's first phase will analyze factors that affect pricing patterns in Washington, while the second phase will address any market anomalies that are identified. To assist with the research, state agencies have agreed to retain a University of Washington economist with expertise on the state's petroleum industry.
McKenna said he looks forward to the public forums as an opportunity to describe significant research findings and to discuss with Washington residents how they can assist in ensuring gasoline providers are operating within the law. Should our research uncover price-fixing or other violations of our state's consumer protection or antitrust laws, the Attorney General's Office stands ready to take enforcement action, he said. Consumers can help by alerting our office if they overhear a conversation that suggests rival businesses intend to fix or manipulate prices, or if they spot prices that appear out of the ordinary and can't be explained by obvious supply and demand factors.
The last comprehensive study on Washington gas prices was published by the state Energy Office (now CTED's Energy Policy Division) in July 1991. Click here to view that report
The AG's Antitrust Division collects and analyzes petroleum pricing data every month and publishes a quarterly Gasoline Report that helps explain factors that affect gasoline prices in Washington. Click here to view that report.
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