Harvey's Affect On Texas Refineries Creating Concerns For Md. Drivers
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The storm is over 1,000 miles away from Maryland, but residents in the area may likely see an uptick in the price at the pump.
Amy Yensi has more on how Harvey could impact gas prices.
Texas produces a lot of the country's oil and the storm is bad for business and consumers.
Incessant rain and catastrophic flooding, as Tropical Storm Harvey turned the streets of south east Texas into rivers, more suitable for boats than cars.
And for the rest of the country, where driving is possible, the storm will have another impact.
"The gulf coast region accounts for 15% of gasoline production so Maryland may see a little bit of an uptick," says Christine Delise, Spokeswoman for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
In the lead up to the devastating storm, Texas oil refineries shut down operations. Experts say the decrease in supply may boost demand and cause a spike in fuel prices.
"Why do you think I came right now? I wasn't going to wait until tomorrow," says Margaret Pine.
According to AAA Mid-Atlantic, Maryland gas prices took a dip last week and are not much higher than the same time last year, but that may all change in Harvey's aftermath.
Most people say they're more concerned about the people in Harvey's path, than the prices at the pump.
"The season is almost over so, I'm not too concerned about it. I'm more concerned about the poor people down there getting flooded than the refineries," says Chip Robinson.
"I'm just hoping that the people that are living in that area are safe and I hope they get all the support they need from their local government and the government around them," says Angie Chaney.
There's now a growing uncertainty, as the powerful storm pummels a major metropolitan region, that helps keep the entire country, moving.
We will get a better sense of just how much of increase on Monday, when the refineries have a chance to assess the damage.
One-third of the nation's refineries are in Texas.
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