Auto Club: New Year Brings Higher Gas Prices

LOS ANGELES, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- January 16, 2007 -- Despite price decreases over the last couple of weeks in most regions, average gasoline prices remain above the levels of one month ago, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California monthly Fuel Gauge Report. The Southern California average showed about a 13-cent gain between December and January.

The Southern California January average price for regular self-serve gasoline is $2.648, compared to $2.519 on Dec. 12. The record high price for Southern California was $3.417, set on May 16.

"A gasoline glut has driven prices below $2 a gallon in many cities throughout the rest of the country, and most states are paying well below what they did last month," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Unfortunately, the West Coast is an exception. Prices are floating down like a feather, not dropping like a rock, in California, Oregon and Washington because of the limited number of refineries that produce our specially formulated fuel that is required to meet air quality regulations."

Statewide, the average price for December is $2.635, up from $2.507 in December. The lowest average price in the state is in La Habra, where regular is selling for $2.438, up nearly 14 cents from $2.300. Santa Barbara reports the state's highest average price at $2.826, up three cents from last month.

Nationally, the average price is $2.229, down six cents from $2.292 in December. The state with the highest gas price average is Hawaii at $2.919. Oregon and Washington are the only other states with higher averages than California this month. Missouri has the lowest average price, at $2.014.

In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:

                           Jan. 16 Dec. 12 Jan. 16 Dec. 12
County/City                  Reg     Reg     Prem    Prem
Imperial County
El Centro                   2.793   2.764   2.939   2.999

Inyo County
Bishop                      2.639   2.593   2.939   2.689

Kern County
Bakersfield                 2.557   2.527   2.733   2.697
Ridgecrest                  2.592   2.627   2.659   2.631

Los Angeles County
Alhambra                    2.576   2.400   2.729   2.587
Arcadia                     2.563   2.462   2.819   2.702
Burbank                     2.599   2.479   2.747   2.617
Culver City                 2.607   2.512   2.654   2.605
Glendale                    2.615   2.503   2.846   2.684
Glendora                    2.499   2.383   2.709   2.549
Inglewood                   2.533   2.419   2.766   2.616
Lancaster                   2.675   2.597   2.892   2.769
Long Beach                  2.548   2.425   2.715   2.592
Los Angeles                 2.626   2.501   2.782   2.661
Manhattan Beach             2.636   2.495   2.899   2.779
Montebello                  2.571   2.419   2.652   2.463
Santa Clarita               2.609   2.500   2.859   2.735
Santa Monica                2.639   2.536   2.849   2.644
Van Nuys                    2.544   2.456   2.639   2.593
Whittier                    2.515   2.407   2.739   2.564
Woodland Hills              2.583   2.494   2.779   2.676

Orange County
Anaheim                     2.457   2.348   2.589   2.504
Fullerton                   2.462   2.362   2.592   2.504
Huntington Beach            2.501   2.356   2.649   2.517
La Habra                    2.438   2.306   2.572   2.476
Laguna Beach                2.709   2.621   2.879   2.811
Newport Beach               2.609   2.495   2.809   2.707
San Clemente                2.664   2.546   2.894   2.741
Tustin                      2.583   2.479   2.784   2.679

Riverside County
Blythe                      2.819   2.753   2.909   2.875
Hemet                       2.577   2.475   2.686   2.593
Palm Springs                2.663   2.559   2.849   2.752
Riverside                   2.552   2.424   2.732   2.613

San Bernardino County
Redlands                    2.581   2.539   2.761   2.847
San Bernardino              2.602   2.512   2.786   2.590
Victorville                 2.624   2.575   2.709   2.623

San Diego County
Chula Vista                 2.605   2.533   2.856   2.825
Del Mar                     2.759   2.567   2.939   2.794
Escondido                   2.533   2.513   2.814   2.722
Oceanside                   2.632   2.538   2.759   2.734
San Diego                   2.639   2.537   2.864   2.758

San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo             2.714   2.635   2.879   2.849

Santa Barbara County
Lompoc                      2.691   2.575   3.039   2.919
Santa Barbara               2.826   2.794   2.996   2.976
Santa Maria                 2.754   2.662   2.979   2.745

Tulare County
Porterville                 2.634   2.581   2.659   2.599
Visalia                     2.627   2.571   2.874   2.852

Ventura County
Ventura                     2.648   2.552   2.858   2.653

So. Calif. Average          2.648   2.519   2.793   2.690

The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 3,900 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data. Editors, for regional average daily fuel prices nationwide, please go to www.fuelgaugereport.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Carol Thorp or Marie Montgomery 714-885-2333