Energy

Consumer advocates say ‘hot fuel’ may inflate price at the pump

May 10, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Fuel expands when temperatures rise, but most retail gas station nozzles don't adjust for volume differences based on temperature. That oversight means California motorists could be losing up to 3 cents on every gallon, or $480 million annually, according to an estimate by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "It's outrageous that Americans cannot rely on an honest measurement for every gallon of gasoline they pump," said the foundation's president, Jamie Court, in a recent letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.</p>

6 ways to lower gas prices

May 10, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">CNNMoney.com</p> <p>With record profits at Exxon Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP and other oil companies, it's no wonder a lot of Americans think they are getting fleeced by Big Oil. "I don't think they're meeting somewhere and saying 'oh, let's get the price up another 7 cents this weekend,'" said Judy Dugan, research director at the Center of Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "But they know very well they can make more money by making less gasoline."</p>

FTCR to Gov: Return Chevron money

May 10, 2007  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee (California)</p> <p>"If Gov. Schwarzenegger keeps Chevron's cash and continues his political silence while Chevron robs California motorists blind, he's not just a girlie man, he's Chevron's girlie man," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation, in a statement. "To take $100,000 from Chevron at the same time as gas prices in California surpassed record highs is to spit in the face of Californians."</p>

Group Calls on Calif. Lawmakers to Act on Spiraling Gas Prices

May 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">CSNews.com</p> <p>"Oil companies have spent over $90 million on state politics since 2006 to buy political silence about high gasoline prices," alleged Jamie Court, president of FTCR. "It's time Governor Schwarzenegger bucked the $3,855,703 his political committees have received from the oil industry and forced a conversation about this problem. If Schwarzenegger refuses to even kick-start start the debate about an issue of this magnitude for California motorists and businesses, then he is the girlie man."</p>

Ill effects of gas prices

May 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Gabriel Valley Tribune (California)</p> <p>Getting more attention is the consumer-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which says, hold on a minute. It is not uncontrollable forces, but rather, oil companies squeezing more profits out of less revenues. For example, Exxon Mobil reported first quarter profits last month of $9.6 billion, a 10 percent bump from 2006, even while revenues were down. Even after investing in oil exploration -- something oil companies emphasize a lot during p.r. campaigns -- the Foundation reported Exxon still had $34.6 billion in cash on hand.</p>

You may not be getting all you pay for at the pump

May 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Consumer advocates want U.S. fuel retailers to install nozzles that compensate for temperature changes. "It's outrageous that Americans... cannot rely on an honest measurement for every gallon of gasoline they pump," Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said in a recent letter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Court's group estimates that California drivers are losing at least 3 cents a gallon.</p>

Gas prices up over $3 a gallon

May 8, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">NBC-TV Nightly News (National 6:30 PM EST)</p> <p>Oil watchdog groups say profits for the refining part of companies like Exxon and Chevron are way up. Ms. JUDY DUGAN (<a href="http://www.oilwatchdog.org">Oilwatchdog.org</a>): All of the refiners are making more money than ever.</p>

State’s gasoline prices at new high;

May 8, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The average rises to $3.461 as refineries continue to struggle with production.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>In California, which has the nation's highest retail price, one consumer advocacy group urged Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature to convene a special session to investigate. "If oil companies won't make enough gasoline to allow prices to moderate, and if they can't keep their refineries running properly, they need more oversight," said Judy Dugan, research director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica.</p>

Refinery Backlog Prompts Spike in Gas Prices

May 7, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">All Things Considered (National Public Radio)</p> <p>Consumer advocate Jamie Court of OilWatchdog.org sees a more sinister explanation. He compares this year's string of refinery shutdowns to the California electricity crunch six years ago, when some power-plant operators deliberately idled plants in order to drive up the price. Mr. JAMIE COURT (Consumer Advocate, <a href="http://www.oilwatchdog.org">OilWatchdog.org</a>): "When oil companies aren't being watched, and when there's no legal bar for them to close down refineries so they can jack up the price of gasoline, they'll do it, and there's nothing we can do."</p>

It’s us, not OPEC, driving up gasoline prices

May 4, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Gazette (Montreal, Canada)</p> <p>A California consumer group, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, has dug up a number of old memos from major oil companies discussing quite frankly the need to cut refining capacity in order to boost profit margins.</p>

Oil Refiners’ Production Lows, Profit Highs;

May 3, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Where's the gas? As pump prices test $3, persistent problems, from old plants to a shortage of skilled workers, spur debate on the industry.</h3><p class="source">Business Week Online</p> <p>The reports of rich profits alongside higher pump prices have some groups crying foul. "Oil companies that have refused to increase refinery capacity enough to meet population took refineries out of service for longer and refused to import gasoline to make up the difference," says Judy Dugan, research director of the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, Calif. "Then they have the gall to behave as though gasoline prices are an act of fate, not the shortage that they created."</p>

Today at the Pump; Gas prices are 7 cents more than they were last year and continue to rise.

May 3, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Today Show (NBC-TV National)</p> <p>OKWU: But industry watchdogs say the oil companies are gouging consumers by indirectly controlling the supply. Ms. DUGAN: They control how big their refineries are. They control how much comes out of their refineries. They control when they do maintenance.</p>