Gasoline prices in Iowa are clicking up a few cents a gallon almost every day the past few weeks. Rose White, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says the turmoil in Libya is to blame for the latest spikes and she says steps are being taken to prevent more pump price jumps.
White says, “There have been some discussions in the global market about OPEC nations increasing production to offset what’s lost by Libya and that’s certainly helping to calm the marketplace.”
White says there’s also talk of what can be done here at home to prevent higher gas prices. “There’s been some discussion about the possibility of releasing fuel stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, which might also create a downturn in prices,” she says.
Triple-A says the current statewide average is three-35 a gallon, which is two cents below the national average. Iowa’s average price for gas has risen 25-cents a gallon in a month and 70-cents in the past year. White predicts Iowa drivers will likely be paying $3.50 a gallon in the coming weeks.
