BURLINGTON – U.S. Sen. Bernard Sanders on Tuesday called for a federal investigation into unusually high gasoline prices in the greater Burlington area compared to other parts of Vermont, New England and other areas throughout the country.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Sanders urged the Oil and Gas Price Fraud Working Group and the Federal Trade Commission to conduct a joint investigation to determine why gasoline prices in the greater Burlington area substantially higher than elsewhere.
According to Sanders, during one month, prices in greater Burlington fell 15 cents a gallon - from $3.84 to $3.69 for regular gas. Citing AAA’s daily fuel report, Sanders said Burlington’s gas prices represent the lowest reduction in any of the 15 metro regions throughout New England. The average price drop throughout the New England metro areas was 25.9 cents during the month examined.
Transportation is cited as one reason for higher prices in the Burlington area. But Ben Brockwell, director of data, pricing and information services for the Oil Price Information Service, said hauling gasoline by truck 70 miles would add just 3 cents to the price of a gallon of gas.
In his letter, Sanders asked the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to determine whether or not high prices in Chittenden County were related to the fact that the four largest gas station companies in the county control 67 of the 115 filling stations, or 58 percent of the total.