Thiele: Gas Prices Decreased on South Fork

Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) recently released his third gas price survey this summer, which showed that gasoline prices have begun to decrease in the South Fork for the end of the season, according to a press release.

The price of gas decreased from $3.01 in August to $2.81 cents this month on the South Fork, according to Thiele.

Gas prices on the South Fork are still higher than the rest of Long Island by 25 cents, where prices decreased by 17 cents since August and higher than the State average by 25 cents, according to the press release.

Currently, crude oil prices are $45 per barrel.

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.

Along Montauk Highway in East Hampton and Southampton (excluding Amagansett and Montauk), the price of gas is now $2.81 per gallon and in Amagansett and Montauk the price of gas is $3.19 per gallon, according to Thiele.

On the North Fork, the price of gas is $2.35, according to Thiele.

The Long Island average is $2.56 and the State average is $2.56.

“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.

In August, Thiele conducted the same survey twice.

The first time 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.

The second survey showed that gas prices in the South Fork increased again to $3.01 in August.

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.