Michiganders Feel Pump Pain with New Record High for GasMichiganders Feel Pump Pain with New Record High for Gas

6/6/13 - Local motorists are being forced to drive and bear it as gas prices soar to the highest level on record across the state of Michigan. It's now one of just a few states where motorists are paying more than $4 for a gallon of gas. AAA Michigan completes an updated gas price survey once every day, based on the previous day’s sales and spokeswoman Nancy Cain says prices are going up quite a bit, with some stations charging $4.29 a gallon, which to date is the highest on average since May of 2011 when motorists were paying $4.25 a gallon. AAA doesn’t anticipate that the high prices will last throughout the summer but spokeswoman Nancy Cain says unfortunately the state is very dependent on several refineries in the Midwest that are aging and need maintenance, including one each in Indiana and Illinois. Cain says they’re hearing that the maintenance should be done by mid-June and once the refineries are back on-line, prices should start moderating again. While we can’t control the price at the pump, Cain says local motorists can lessen the pain by filling up when they spot a good price and pay with cash if possible. Meanwhile, a local lawmaker says something must be done to combat the skyrocketing gas prices. State Representative Bill Rogers said “while he does not have a specific solution in mind, he is determined to work towards finding one”. The Genoa Township Republican says he found it shocking that gas in Michigan is so much more expensive than the rest of the country and there is obviously a flaw in the system. He says it’s clear that current resources are not working and solutions must be identified, noting the Keystone XL Pipeline may be one to consider. That proposed pipeline system would transport oil sands bitumen from Canada and the northern United States to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas. It's been opposed by a variety of environmental groups concerned about the risk of oil spills along the pipeline route, which passes through highly sensitive terrain, as well as the higher greenhouse gas emissions that come from the extraction of oil sands compared to conventional oil. (JM)