RALEIGH, N.C. — Gas keeps getting cheaper in North Carolina since lawmakers paused the state fuel tax, but the North Carolina Department of Justice says it is now reaching out to individual stations that have not kept pace with the drop.
AAA’s daily survey put the statewide average for regular unleaded at $3.57 a gallon on Wednesday, down from $3.75 a week ago and $4.14 a month ago. As of Tuesday, AAA ranked North Carolina’s average the lowest of any state.
Prices are still well above last year, when regular averaged about $2.79 in AAA’s survey. Diesel averages roughly $5.60, after setting a state record of about $6.25 on Sept. 19.
The legislature voted earlier this month to temporarily lift the 41-cent state tax on each gallon of gas, and Gov. Josh Stein signed the measure on Oct. 9. The pause began the next day and lasts through Nov. 30.
More than 400 complaints about high pump prices have reached the state Justice Department since the suspension started. The office launched a reporting tool called NC Fuel Check last week, and investigators are focusing on stations that have not cut prices at all and those charging far more than competitors nearby.
A higher price does not automatically mean a station is breaking the law. Many stations needed time to sell fuel they bought while the tax was still in place, and the new law does not directly order retailers to lower prices. The state price-gouging law also does not apply, because no emergency has been declared.
The state can still act under its unfair and deceptive trade practices law, under which a violator can face a civil fine as high as $5,000 for each violation. No penalties against specific stations have been announced. Drivers who spot a suspicious price can report it through NC Fuel Check, including photos.
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