Sag Harbor - Assemblyman Fred Thiele (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) has provided the State Attorney General (AG) with his December 12, 2011 survey of
gasoline prices on the South Fork as compared with other locations in New York State. The Automobile Association of America (AAA) provides for a regional survey on New York State gasoline prices. However, there is no survey solely for the South Fork. Thiele is providing the State AG with information on the prices on the South Fork along Montauk Highway. For the first time the survey includes prices in western Southampton along Montauk Highway. There may be prices that are higher or lower in the region away from Montauk Highway, but the survey reflects the price posted at most stations on our region's main arterial.

Thiele has sponsored legislation to strengthen New York's law on zone pricing of gasoline, which is the establishment of arbitrary price differentials based on geographical location without regard to wholesale cost or other legitimate costs. Thiele has also sponsored open supply legislation which would enable gas stations to purchase cheaper motor fuel on the wholesale market from alternative suppliers and pass the savings on to the consumer.

Thiele stated, "Since the last report to the State Attorney General indicating that South Fork gas prices were 18 cents higher than the Long Island average, South Fork prices have declined by an average of eight cents in the last two weeks, arrowing the price gap with the rest of Long Island.

Prices are now 14 cents higher than the Long Island average. We will continue to monitor prices and advocate for the elimination of unwarranted price differentials based solely on geography."

Thiele added that prices on the North Fork also continue to drop. A gallon of gas on the North Fork is now about $3.50 on the North Fork.

In Thiele's December 12, 2011 survey, the price on the South Fork was $3.71 per gallon or lower at nine stations on Montauk Highway on the South Fork. The lowest price was $3.67 and the highest was $3.79. This is 14 cents higher than the average for all Long Island, 16 cents more than the New York State average, and five cents more than New York City.