Average gas prices up $1 from last year, according to agency data

Americans are feeling the price of inflation and President Joe Biden's oil policies at the pump as the price of gas is up by $1 from a year ago, according to data from AAA. 

Average gas prices were $2.69 a gallon on Feb. 16, 2021. On Wednesday, the average gas price hit $3.70 in the United States. 

In the past month alone, gas prices have increased by nearly $0.20.

Diesel had the largest jump in prices from a year ago, from $2.78 up to $3.92. 

The price of regular unleaded gas rose slightly less, going from $2.52 a year ago to $3.51 Wednesday.

The automobile association AAA blames the rising prices on an increase in the cost of crude oil. An increase in gas demand due to the milding winter weather and optimism about the COVID pandemic are other contributing factors the group noted.

"More drivers fueling up here coupled with a persistent tight supply of oil worldwide provides the recipe for higher prices at the pump," AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said earlier this week. "And unfortunately for consumers, it does not appear that this trend will change anytime soon."

Energy advocacy group Power the Future founder Daniel Turner blamed the Biden administration for the price increase and told The Center Square last week that he thinks prices will increase even more. 

"Sadly, the policies of the Biden Administration have served as a proverbial boot on the throat of our energy industry. It’s no coincidence that while oil and gas reserves are at their lowest, inflation is at its highest," he said. 

"Five dollar a gallon for gas is on our horizon, and many middle-class families are stretching to pay drastically higher heating bills," Turner explained. "The clueless response from President Biden [isn't] working: begging OPEC to increase foreign output while doing everything in his power to shackle proud American producers who could offer much-needed relief."