By Paul Tuthill
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-954181.mp3
Chicopee, MA –
The pro democracy uprisings that are spreading across North Africa and the Middle East are being blamed by energy analysts for driving up gasoline prices. The New England Region is reporting the most expensive gasoline prices WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports .
According to the US Energy department's most recent weekly survey regular gasoline averages 3.23 per gallon in New England. The national average is 3.19..up a nickel in a week, and 54 cents higher than a year ago. BobBolduc, president of the Pride chain of gas station-convenience stores, has seen a lot of price spikes in his decades in the business. He says this has the potential to be the worst since the energy crisis of the 1970s
Some energy analyst have been quoted as forecasting 5 dollar per gallon gasoline prices by summer..
Bolduc wanted to alert his customers to what was going on. So, at one his stations, in Chicopee, he had a sign pt up that read Mideast violence serious expect higher prices .
But, the gasoline prices won't be coming down..
The turmoil in Libya a major oil producer has pushed wholesale gasoline prices up 26 cents per gallon in the last two weeks..as commodities traders have become nervous about a potential disruption in the flow of oil.. Bolduc says 60 percent of the oil consumed in the US is imported .
At what price point does it impact people's driving habits?
Nelly Rachei, of Longmeadow Massachusetts, was dismayed to see gasoline prices up again
As he filled up, Ed Rybak echoed what a lot of people say every time there is surge in gasoline prices..the country needs alternative energy
Another common reaction to a spike in gasoline prices is people stop buying pick up trucks, vans and SUVs Sales of these were up 28 percent last month , compared with January 2010, according to the Detroit Free Press.
The record national average for gasoline is 4 .11 a gallon in July 2008. Then the global recession drove down prices.
Reporting from Chicopee, I'm Paul Tuthill..WAMC News.