Gas that had been selling as low as $3.64 for a gallon of self-serve regular on Sept. 11 spiked as high as $4.59 in Albany after Ike made landfall on the Texas coast. The price has gradually settled since and has fallen under $3 a gallon at some Albany gas stations.
As of Tuesday afternoon, no stations from Dougherty County were on the Consumer Affairs list. Information provided by the state office indicated, however, that one station in Mitchell County and two stations in Thomas County were under investigation.
“Our goal is to give customers restitution and give stations the message that we will see that justice is done,” Consumer Affairs spokesperson Cathy Mendelsohn said.
The complaints have decreased since prices have dropped, Mendelsohn said. To date, the office has received about 1,500 complaints of price-gouging or fuel shortages that it must sort through. A list of stations found in violation will be made public once the investigation is complete. How long the process will take is unclear.
“I can’t say how long it will be. It could be weeks or months,” Mendelsohn said.
Those found in violation will be subject to a $2,000 fine per violation and will be expected to offer refunds to victims.
Last Friday, Gov. Sonny Perdue renewed the executive order declaring a state of emergency from Sept. 12. The executive order is designed to function as an anti-gouging statue. While such statues typically last 30 days, the governor can cancel the order at any time, Mendelsohn said.
There were some stations in metro Albany selling regular gas for under $3 a gallon Tuesday afternoon. Pitt Stop in east Dougherty County and Petro and Enmark stations had dropped their prices to $2.98 per gallon of regular.
The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge, the fuel price national average for Tuesday was $3.16, a decrease of a nickel per gallon from the day before. The Tuesday average for Georgia was $3.24, a 9-cent decrease from Monday. The Tuesday average in Albany was $3.22, a penny drop from Monday.
The Consumer Affairs complaint line is (404) 651-8600.
