Hawaiʻi gas prices third highest in US

Hawaiʻi experienced small changes in gas prices in the last week and now has the third most expensive gas prices in the US after Washington state prices surged past California to become the most expensive in the country, according to the AAA Hawaiʻi Weekend Gas Watch.

In Kahului, the average price of $4.81 is one cent higher than last week, one cent lower than last month and 89 cents lower than a year ago.

“While Hawaiʻi prices at the pump remain fairly stable, Washington state gas prices have been rising in the past month because of a new cap-and-trade program requiring refineries to purchase carbon credits to offset pollution, making gas in that state the most expensive in the US,” said Liane Sumida, AAA Hawaiʻi general manager.

The average regular unleaded gas price for Hawaiʻi is $4.73, which is the same as last week. The average national price is $3.58, which is one cent lower than last Thursday.

In Honolulu, Thursday’s average price for regular unleaded is $4.62 which is the same as last week, three cents lower than last month, and 82 cents lower than the price on this date last year.

The Hilo average gas price is $4.76, which is one cent lower than last week and last month, and 84 cents lower than on this date a year ago.

Līhuʻe’s average price for regular is $5.22, which is the same as last week, two cents lower than last month, and 64 cents lower than a year ago.