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3h ago

Washington Gas Prices Briefly Top California Before Sliding Back

Costs tied to new state fees now collide with short-term supply shocks.

Washington state has the highest gas prices in the country right now, even surpassing California by a fraction of a cent. FILE - A customer pumps gas at a station in Yakima, Wash. (AP)
Washington's gas prices are the highest in the nation.{ } FILE - A customer pumps gas. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, file)
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Overview

  • AAA data show Washington averaged about $4.657 per gallon earlier this week, edging California’s $4.656 and far above the roughly $3.20 national average.
  • By Friday, California returned to the highest statewide average as West Coast prices remained elevated compared with the rest of the country.
  • Washington’s per‑gallon gas tax rose by six cents in July, and fuel suppliers face added costs from carbon-allowance purchases under the Climate Commitment Act.
  • The latest carbon auction generated roughly $440 million for the state general fund, intensifying partisan fights over whether to amend or repeal the law and how to direct the revenue.
  • Recent supply constraints—including a February refinery fire that added about 21 cents and a Washington–Oregon pipeline shutdown that lifted prices around 20 cents—pushed local averages higher, with King County near $4.88.