© 2026 KUNR
Illustration of rolling hills with occasional trees and a radio tower.
Serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
With federal funding eliminated, this is the fundraiser that will define the station’s path forward. We’re looking to listeners and readers like you to help us become 100% community supported. 🌱
Plus, your donation will go twice as far thanks to a generous $60,000 matching grant from the Greg Nelson Trust and other KUNR supporters. 🩷

Rising prices at the pump put spotlight on California's 'mystery gasoline surcharge'

A motorist pumps gasoline at a Mobil gas station following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in West Hollywood, Calif., on Feb. 25, 2022. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)
A motorist pumps gasoline at a Mobil gas station following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in West Hollywood, Calif., on Feb. 25, 2022. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

Energy markets have been turbulent in recent weeks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Drivers have been feeling the pain at the pump.

The average price of regular gas in the U.S. is always higher in California because of added local taxes, environmental fees and something that Severin Borenstein, professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley, calls the “mystery gasoline surcharge.”

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.