Calif. governor seeks to reverse gas price run-up

Typical California gas prices, as of Sunday / CBS News

LOS ANGELES Gov. Jerry Brown is taking action in an effort to drive down the cost of gasoline as California drivers cope with record-breaking prices at the pump.

For the second straight day Sunday, the statewide average price for a gallon of regular rose to an all-time high, hitting $4.655, according to AAA.

That topped Saturday's price of $4.6140, which broke the previous record of $4.6096 per gallon set on June 19, 2008.

Due to a temporary reduction in supply, California gas prices in recent days have surpassed those in Hawaii to become the highest in the nation.

Brown on Sunday ordered state smog regulators to allow winter-blend gasoline to be sold in California earlier than usual to bring down prices. Winter-blend gas typically isn't sold until after October 31. Few refineries outside the state are currently making summer-blend gas, putting the pressure on already-taxed California manufacturers.

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In some locations, fuming motorists paid $5 or more per gallon while station owners had to shut down pumps in others.

A station in Long Beach had California's priciest gas at $6.65 for a gallon of regular, according to GasBuddy.com. Meanwhile customers at an outlet in San Pablo paid just $3.49, the lowest price in the state.

The average for a gallon of regular was $4.69 in Los Angeles, $4.71 in San Diego and San Francisco, $4.55 in Sacramento and $4.90 in Santa Barbara, according to GasBuddy.com.

The dramatic surge came after a power outage Monday at a Southern California refinery that reduced supply in an already fragile and volatile market, analysts said. The refinery came back online Friday and prices were expected to stabilize in coming days.

Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, predicted the average price could peak as high as $4.85 before coming back down.

[mandiegracetaylor]

Didn't California's neighboring states take to the airwaves begging them to stop sucking and dwindling their water supplies during the last drought? Californians stood at their borders and yelled, "we have more people than you- you have more than enough water - now stand aside while we pipe it in." They had another crisis during a heat wave and started sucking the electricity off of neighboring state power grids - everyone has to take the environmental and financial risks in their own states - while this one state sits around like a child demanding others owe it to them - it's hard to feel sorry for their gas prices - but maybe we'll end up feeling sorry for ourselves too.

[wfw3536]

Maybe someday California folks will wake up and see their state sinking into bankruptcy as the Dems and Libs keep control of this state. I know business folks who left the state because they have so many Regulations/etc that it is almost impossible for a business to be sucessful. Time for folks in California to wake up and see where these Liberal policies are taking them.

[RRMan44]

This is just another economic hit to Cali. Putting squeeze on poor/middle class and small businesses.

Dailyjobcuts

[RRMan44]

This is just another economic hit to Cali. Putting squeeze on poor/middle class and small businesses.

Go to: Dailyjobcuts com

[qmpash]

This is a harbinger of things to come for the entire nation. Dwindling petroleum supplies along with volatile Middle-east politics would seem to indicate that another fuel, such as methane, which is renewable, would be appropriate. Ditto, Hy-brids, electric cars and higher-mileage cars of all types. Both our politicians and our genius corporate heads fail to see what is so patently obvious.

[Lucky12345678]

Governor Brown just needs to raise taxes and all will be well. Keep up the great work California!!!! Soon you won't have to worry about the price of gas, because you won't be able to afford a car... Maybe someone can invent a windmill car and then go ask for some Green Obama Bucks' to produce the car!

[Js5757]

So typical. The probable reason is the gas people have an abundance of Winter Blend and need to get it flowing, so they reduce the summer blend supply, get the politicians to play ball, then release the over supplied winter blend. The politician wins, the gas people win and the public pays the price for 14 days which amounts to a huge profit for the gas people. What a scam this oil business is!