Hurricane Harvey Causes Gas Price Spike In Illinois

As Hurricane Harvey wrought havoc on Texas, gas prices shot up around the country — including Illinois, which saw the fourth-largest increase in the U.S. on Monday. The hurricane has taken one-fourth of the oil refining capacity on the Gulf Coast offline, according to forecasts by Oil Price Information Service, and caused eight Texas refineries to shut down.

As of Monday, Illinois had seen a 6 cent increase in gas prices, compared with 11 cents in Indiana, 9 cents in Ohio and 7 cents in Florida and Michigan, according to AAA. The average gas price nationwide had grown to $2.37 per gallon, which jumped to $2.40 by Wednesday.

The average gas price in Illinois Wednesday was $2.45 — and likely to get even higher in the days to come.

How Might Hurricane Harvey Impact The Oil Industry And Environment?

“No doubt, Harvey has impacted operations and access to refineries in the Gulf Coast," AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said, adding that the full extent of the damage at Texas refineries was still unknown. “Despite the country’s overall oil and gasoline inventories being at or above 5-year highs, until there is clear picture of damage and an idea when refineries can return to full operational status, gas prices will continue to increase.”

The unprecedented rainfall and flooding prompted the activation of the entire Texas National Guard. Hundreds of thousands of residents had evacuated as the death toll reached 30 on Wednesday.

More from Patch:

• Harvey Slams Beaumont: Mother Dies, Child Survives As Flooding Continues
• Hurricane Harvey Pets: Romeoville Humane Society Needs Foster Families
• Hurricane Harvey Help: Naperville Mayor Invites Residents To Community Meeting

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