Gas Prices Skyrocket to 12-Month High as Biden Faces Pressure to Shut Down More Pipelines
Gasoline costs in America are rising and have topped prices from before the impacts of COVID-19 triggered months of declines
On Thursday, data from Gas Buddy showed the average price of gas at the pump hit a 12-month high of $2.50 a gallon, according to Fox Business. The average cost of gasoline was roughly the same as of Sunday, data reveals.
Gas Buddy showed prices were at $2.42 per gallon on average last February before dropping as low as $1.74 per gallon last April.
Gas Buddy senior petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan told Fox the overall recovery from the pandemic is helping prices to rise, as is the context of increasing global demand amid a production cut from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
“Unfortunately prices are likely to continue rising in the weeks and months ahead so long as we continue to see improvement in the pandemic,” he said.
“They could rise another 15 to 35 cents a gallon by summer, [it’s] all really contingent on what happens in the months ahead with COVID.”
Although DeHaan has said that the current price increase cannot be blamed on President Joe Biden’s policies, he has also indicated that in the long run, energy costs will be impacted by what Biden does.
“Cancelling the Keystone XL would mainly hurt consumers by limiting reliable crude oil imports from Canada and again reducing the US’ energy security,” he tweeted.
Cancelling the Keystone XL would mainly hurt consumers by limiting reliable crude oil imports from Canada and again reducing the US’ energy security. https://t.co/ttugJxbWrp
— Patrick De Haan ⛽️? (@GasBuddyGuy) January 18, 2021
Biden’s action stopped the construction of the pipeline, which had not yet begun to carry oil south from Canada.
Some commentators believe, however, there is a connection between the current spike in gasoline prices and the start of the Biden administration.
Gas prices expected to top $4.00 a gallon by next year thanks to Joe Biden.
— Kambree (@KamVTV) February 11, 2021
Gas prices are already skyrocketing and the Democrats have the audacity to talk about raising the gas tax.
Joe Biden’s bad energy policies are hurting hardworking American families.
Republicans need to stand up.
— Representative Mike Loychik (@MikeLoychik) February 11, 2021
REPORT: Gas Prices Have SURGED 18% Since Biden Won Election, Could Skyrocket to $4 Under New Administration…https://t.co/GHPziippt7
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) February 12, 2021
The flow of oil could be further restricted if Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota gets her way and the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline project is canceled.
Further, Biden is being urged to permanently shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline.
The Line 3 project involves replacing a 1960s-era line. Enbridge, the company building the replacement line, said the Canadian part of the line is complete, and all that is left to go is the segment of the pipeline that runs through Minnesota.
Omar, however, is arguing that “we cannot afford to build more fossil fuel infrastructure.”
“That is especially true for projects like Line 3, which are designed for the dirtiest and most carbon-intensive fossil fuel there is, tar sands crude oil,” Omar said in a letter to Biden earlier this month. “Climate change is not just a risk, but a risk multiplier — all of the other known impacts of Line 3 will be greatly exacerbated by climate change.”
Although Omar said the Line 3 project is bad for indigenous people, the company said tribes support it.
“Enbridge has demonstrated ongoing respect for tribal sovereignty. As the result of negotiations with tribal leadership Line 3 was routed outside of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation and through the Reservation of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa,” the company said in a statement to Fox Business. “Both Leech Lake and Fond du Lac have spoken and written repeatedly in support of project permits.”
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