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Thanks, autumn: Gas prices decline

| September 22, 2020 1:00 AM

BOISE — Drivers had plenty to be happy about when they filled up this week — according to AAA, gas prices remained stable or decreased in every state of the Union, a sure sign that fall weather and reduced road trips are beginning to have an effect.

After several weeks in the ninth spot, Idaho fuel prices recently traded places with Utah’s to jump into eighth place for most expensive gas prices in the country. Utah’s 3-cent price drop on the week is the primary reason for the switch. Idaho pump prices are generally in the seventh to ninth place range.

“Idaho’s gas prices aren’t falling quite as fast as Utah’s — where most of our finished gasoline comes from — but they are falling,” says AAA Idaho spokesman Matthew Conde. “We’ve still got some warm days ahead, which may inspire some weekend getaways and some fall tourism from states with heavier COVID-19 restrictions, but once the temperature drops, the combination of lower demand and cheaper winter-blend fuel should bring some welcome savings at the pump.”

Prices in Kootenai County ranged from $2.30 to $2.45 a gallon.

The average price of regular fuel in Idaho was $2.44 Monday, which is a penny more expensive than a month ago, but 32 cents cheaper than a year ago. Meanwhile, the current U.S. average is $2.18, which is a penny cheaper than a month ago, and 49 cents cheaper than a year ago.

The most expensive fuel in the country is in Hawaii at $3.23 per gallon, and the cheapest is in Mississippi at $1.85 per gallon.

Nationwide fuel demand increased slightly to 8.5 million barrels per day on the week, and fuel inventories slipped to 231.5 million barrels despite a 900,000 barrel-per-day uptick in production from U.S. refineries. Even so, gas prices failed to react.