Community Corner
Thiele: Gas Prices Continue to Increase on the South Fork For the Summer
The Assemblyman conducted his second survey for the summer, showing that gas prices continue to go up.
Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) recently released his second gas price survey this summer, which showed that gasoline prices have continued to increase in the South Fork, according to a press release.
The price of gas has increased from about $2.86 in May to $3.01 cents in August on the South Fork, according to Thiele.
Gas prices on the South Fork are higher than the rest of Long Island by 28 cents, where prices decreased by 20 cents since May and higher than the State average by 31 cents, according to the press release.
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Currently, crude oil prices are below $40 per barrel for the first time since 2009.
The survey includes prices in western Southampton only along Montauk Highway, so there may be prices that are higher or lower in the region away from Montauk Highway, Thiele said.
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Along Montauk Highway in East Hampton and Southampton (excluding Amagansett and Montauk), the price of gas is now $3.01 per gallon and in Amagansett and Montauk the price of gas is $3.49 per gallon, according to Thiele.
On the North Fork, the price of gas is $2.55, according to Thiele.
The Long Island average is $2.73 and the State average is $2.70.
“There is no clearer example of price-fixing than what is currently happening with gas prices on the South Fork. Oil prices are collapsing,” Thiele said. “Gas prices are declining all around us, but here on the South Fork prices increase during the summer season. Big Oil is setting higher prices to grab a windfall when the population triples on the South Fork.”
He has called upon the State Senate to pass his legislation which would prohibit zone pricing.
Last month, Thiele conducted the same survey, which showed that gas prices in the South Fork have increased by 24 cents from about $2.85 in May to $3.09 cents in July.
In July, gas prices on the South Fork were higher than the rest of Long Island by 12 cents, where prices only increased by 4 cents since May, and 19 cents higher than the State average.
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