The affects of Harvey are now being felt in every corner of the country.
Gas prices are up across the nation in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey. The massive Colonial Pipeline, which stretches from Texas to the Northeast has shutdown, refineries (including the country’s largest) have shuttered or backed off production and some gas stations in the South have run out of gas.
Tamra Johnson with AAA says the storm is having a significant impact on refineries, ports and transportation resulting in increased costs at the pump. She says drivers across the country will likely see a ten-to 15-cent per-gallon increase, with prices higher around the Gulf Coast. Prices are already up an average of ten-cents a gallon, but Johnson believes prices should stabilize before October.
The U.S. Energy Department has tapped into reserves, but don’t look for a change in prices anytime soon. As far as price gouging, that will not be tolerated. Energy Secretary Rick Perry says "Anybody that is considering raising prices above what would be considered to be appropriate needs to watch out. My hope is that every AG across the country will go after those people and go after them in a very hard way and harsh way."Source: NBC Dallas