Terry Goddard to meet with the Department of Energy, Responds to FTC Gasoline Letter

(Phoenix, Ariz. – June 21, 2004)  Attorney General Terry Goddard will meet with Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Mark Maddox and Deputy Assistant Secretary Howard Gruenstecht on July 23 to discuss gasoline issues affecting Arizona and Western States consumers.  Friday’s agenda will include the following topics:

  • Coordinating the conversion from winter to summer gas blends so as to avoid the shortage and the 25 to 30 cent price increases Arizona consumers have suffered the last two years.
  • Forming a federal-state task force to investigate the lack of adequate supply and extreme price fluctuation in the Arizona and other Western States gasoline markets, and make recommendations to address and remediate these issues
  • Investigating gasoline refining policies in the West, including cutting down on the diversity of fuel blends, and increasing inventories and storage capacity

Goddard is co-chair of the National Association of Attorneys General Gas Pricing Working Group, and will share Arizona’s experience over the last year.  Joining in this meeting will be Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval, and representatives from California Attorney General Bill Lockyer.  

In addition to the DOE meeting, Goddard recently requested from Federal Trade Commission Chairman Tim Muris an analysis of Arizona’s 2003-2004 gasoline prices by the FTC.  Goddard also requested a meeting with Chairman Muris to discuss working together to investigate gasoline price spikes in Arizona and other Western States.    

Goddard will be available for media questions following this meeting.  A copy of Goddard’s letter to Muris is attached.