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Florida approves emergency gas rule to lower prices
Some Florida gas stations will begin selling a blend of fuel that’s typically only available during the colder months to try to lower gas prices, but only 10 percent of stations in Florida can sell that type of gas.
TAMPA, Fla. - Gas prices in Florida have soared to a new record high, beating the previous all-time record set just two months ago.
AAA says the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the Sunshine State is now $4.40, an 8-cent jump from just yesterday. It's the highest price Floridians have had to pay at the pump in 14 years.
The national average is slightly higher at $4.41. Since last Thursday, Florida's average price per gallon has increased 22 cents – one of the highest weekly increases nationwide, according to AAA.
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On Wednesday, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced an emergency rule where the state will allow E-15 gas to be sold during the summer months in an effort to lower gas prices.
The ethanol blend is usually only sold during the winter because it can cause more emissions in higher temperatures. The federal government issued a waiver allowing states to use the fuel blend.
While only 10% of gas stations in Florida sell that type of gasoline, Fried said the move will increase supply across the state, and estimated that it would help lower the price by approximately 10 cents per gallon.
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The move comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a $1.24-billion tax relief package that includes a month-long fuel tax exemption in October.
The governor had pushed for suspending the state's roughly 25-cent-a-gallon gas tax for five months, starting July 1, but lawmakers settled on a month-long exemption in October.