This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Weeks before the summer driving season officially begins, gas prices in Utah have hit a record average of $3 per gallon.
Eleven states and Washington, D.C., still have higher prices for a gallon of self-serve unleaded gasoline, but Utah's prices are now above the national average of $2.97 per gallon, travel services agency AAA reported Tuesday.
Increasing demand for fuel has pushed prices higher, said Rolayne Fairclough, AAA spokeswoman. The increase has been swift. Two months ago, gas could be found for about $2 per gallon. The average one month ago was $2.59 a gallon. From just Monday to Tuesday, Utah's average was up 2 cents.
The summer driving season runs roughly from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and prices typically increase around that time, Fairclough said.
Lee Peacock of the Utah Petroleum Association, which represents refineries and producers, attributes the high pump prices to high demand - in Utah and nationwide.
"Because of the strong economy, people and businesses are buying a lot of gasoline, which really squeezes supplies," he said.
Utah Commerce Director Francine Giani isn't so sure.
"All of us should be somewhat alarmed by where we are today, given the fact we haven't yet reached Memorial Day," Giani said Tuesday. "At least last year they waited until Memorial Day to raise prices."
The last time gas prices in Utah were near this level was August 2006, when the state hit a record high of $2.99 per gallon, AAA said. After weeks of high prices, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. in September called for an investigation.
Giani, appointed to oversee the investigation, weeks later placed much of the blame on "price-gouging" by gasoline retailers in the state. But fuel retailers - along with the refineries that process the fuel - denied they were reaping profits at the expense of consumers, even though retailers acknowledged that their profit margins were higher for a sustained period.
Ultimately, state investigators said they could find nothing illegal and dropped the investigation.
Consumer concern began to fade later in 2006 as prices fell. Earlier this year, Utahns were paying among the lowest prices in the country at the pump - an average of $2.19 per gallon.
Jennifer Miller Smith of Salt Lake City recalls filling up for $1.99 in February. Monday she drove by two stations with prices for unleaded gasoline at $3.09 and $3.11 per gallon.
Smith, who keeps a lookout for lower-priced gasoline while she's out driving, is skeptical of the increases.
"The oil companies all posted all these fat profits - it's somewhat suspicious."
In recent days, the Department of Commerce has received about a dozen calls from consumers upset about higher prices.
Giani said that at this point the state is not inclined to start another investigation, adding that the last time out, few gas retailers or refining companies provided information. She doesn't expect them to be any more helpful a second time around.
Giani urged consumers to consider employing gas-saving strategies such as carpooling, using mass transit and driving fuel-efficient cars.
"As consumers we need to remember we're not going back to $1 per gallon," she said. "Prices are only going up."
Highest state averages
* California $3.41
* Washington $3.30
* Oregon $3.28
* Hawaii $3.20
* Nevada $3.16
* Connecticut $3.08
* New York $3.06
* Illinois $3.05
* Idaho $3.02
* Arizona $3.02
* New Mexico $3.01
* UTAH $3
* U.S. $2.97
Source: AAA Utah Pump relief
To find the best prices on gas, go to http://www.utahgasprices.com or http://www.saltlakegasprices.com.