BOISE — Average retail gasoline prices in Idaho have risen 6.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.54 a gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 802 gas outlets in Idaho. This compares with the national average that has increased 6.2 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.57 a gallon.

    Including the change in gas prices in Idaho during the past week, prices on May 12 were 21.9 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 3.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 5.0 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 15.4 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

    "The national average has perked up again in the last seven days across the nation," said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan in a news release. "Many motorists remain skeptical of the so called reasons that we blame higher prices on refinery production and maintenance, tightening supply and the now completed switch over to EPA mandated cleaner summer gasoline.”

    He continued: “Tight gasoline supply exists especially along the West Coast, and other factors are coming into play in some of the bigger metro areas where more expensive reformulated gasoline has hit pumps."

    GasBuddy operates the website www.idahogasprices.com and over 250 similar websites that track gasoline prices at over 140,000 gasoline stations in the United States and Canada.