JEFFERSON CO., Pa. (EYT) – While nationwide gas prices have slowly begun to fall, in northwestern Pennsylvania, the price to fill up remains higher than average, inflicting a strong burden on consumers in the region.
According to GasBuddy.com, gas prices in Jefferson and Clarion Counties range from a low of $3.45 to a high of $3.59 per gallon of gas as of Monday, December 6, 2021.
In Western Pennsylvania, AAA found prices averaging around $3.57 per gallon two weeks ago, which is more than $1.02 from a year ago.
This is higher than the nationwide average, which GasBuddy put at $3.36, a decline of four cents over the past week and seven cents over the past month.
Additionally, Pennsylvania drivers have to deal with the nation’s third-highest gas tax, at 58.7 cents per gallon, said the Tax Foundation. Only California, at 66.98 cents per gallon, and Illinois, at 59.56 cents per gallon have a higher tax.
For local drivers, the common sentiment seems to be, “what can you do,” although that does not stop individuals from lamenting about the realities of higher gas prices.
“It sucks that they are high,” said Logan George of Clarion, who works at UPMC Northwest and commutes there every day. “It definitely affects me, but what am I going to do, not buy gas?”
“(It) went from $25-ish to fill my jeep to almost $50-ish to fill my jeep twice a week,” said area resident Kylee Brennen. “Gas bill has doubled and puts a dent in the piggy bank, especially when I travel to work every day that is more than 10 minutes away.”
Area resident Michael Comoss echoed George’s and Brennen’s sentiments, adding: “It cost our family an extra $120 a month in gas compared to last year. It really makes a difference when living paycheck to paycheck.”
Much uncertainty remains, but some indicators point to lower gas prices in the coming weeks, including the release of 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve by President Joe Biden’s administration earlier last week
Because of news of the new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus and added travel restrictions implemented in many countries, crude oil prices dropped $10 to $68 according to AAA.
“With little known about the new variant, it is unclear what long-term impact it may have on crude prices,” stated the AAA’s analysis.
The international oil cartel OPEC will also increase production by 400,000 barrels a day in January, according to the New York Times
“There remains a very high level of uncertainty ahead of us as OPEC has also delayed its meetings to await more market movements and information on Omicron. But so far, Americans can expect the new variant to push gas prices even lower, explained Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy in a press release.
“Beyond the next few weeks, it remains nearly impossible to predict where oil and gas prices will head, though turbulence is guaranteed,” he said.
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