Louisiana gas stays above $4 as diesel hovers near record high
Diesel remains near its Louisiana record as a state emergency temporarily changes fuel rules for some farmers and timber workers.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Louisiana drivers continue to pay more than $4 a gallon for regular gasoline while diesel prices remain near a state record.
AAA reported Thursday that Louisiana’s average price for regular gasoline was about $4.03 per gallon. Diesel averaged about $6.01 per gallon.
Regular gasoline averaged about $3.98 a week ago, $3.70 a month ago and $2.73 at this time last year.
Diesel prices have seen an even larger jump. The statewide average was about $5.99 a week ago, $5.31 a month ago and $3.29 one year ago, according to AAA.
Louisiana’s record average diesel price of $6.0337 per gallon was set Monday, Sept. 21.
The national average for regular gasoline stood at about $4.48 Thursday, putting Louisiana’s average roughly 45 cents below the national figure.
The diesel surge prompted Gov. Jeff Landry to declare a state of emergency Wednesday aimed at farmers and timber harvesters during peak harvest season.
The order temporarily allows certain vehicles registered for farm or forest-product use to burn dyed diesel that would normally be restricted to off-road equipment. The suspension runs through Oct. 22.
Read more: Gov. Landry’s diesel export ban proposal faces industry pushback
Dyed diesel is regular diesel fuel marked with red dye because it is generally exempt from certain taxes and restricted to off-road uses such as tractors, irrigation pumps and logging equipment.
The governor’s office said national distillate inventories are below their five-year average and cited the shortage as a contributor to higher diesel prices. The administration also directed the Louisiana Department of Revenue to seek federal relief from penalties involving the temporary use of dyed diesel.
AAA updates Louisiana and metro-area fuel averages daily.
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