DENVER — Despite all the predictions the price of gasoline in Colorado has not skyrocketed with the forced use of reformulated gasoline.
It was estimated that motorists in the affected areas might have to pay 50 to 60 cents more a gallon when the change, mandated by the EPA, kicked in in June.
In fact, by the time the Fourth of July rolled around the street cost of a gallon of gasoline was lower than in the year before, averaging about $3.41 a gallon.
Not that the price hasn't gone up with the advent of summer, but it was attributable to the annual increased travel, weather, and global, national and regional events affecting oil markets and refining capacity.
In 2022, the EPA reclassified Denver and eight other counties in Colorado in violation of the Clean Air Act and ordered the state to switch in 2024 to reformulated gasoline, a blended fuel that burns more cleanly than conventional gasoline and is considered to reduce smog forming and toxic pollutants. It is required in 17 other states and Washington D. C. For a long time the Denver area had dodged the bullet.
The reformulated gasoline must be used until Sept. 13 when pollution usually eases.
Experts worried that because Colorado has only one refinery, it might not be able to supply two versions of gasoline — one for the affected area and one for the rest of the state. The bulk would have to be piped in via five pipelines, which normally have reduced output in the summer, possibly creating a shortage.
The EPA rejected a last-minute appeal from Governor Jared Polis for a waiver, but said it would monitor the situation in case a shortage did occur.
So far that has not happened and "The minimal price increases are in line with our expectations and reflect the fact that producers and suppliers had ample time to prepare," said spokesman Richard Mylott. "The less volatile gasoline formula is reducing hundreds of tons of harmful ozone forming emissions throughout the Denver Metro and Northern Front Range non-attainment area," he said.
Polis said he is glad that dire predictions did not come true but warned the summer is not over yet and prices could still go up. He said he will continue to fight for a waiver to remove the risk.
DENVER — It's a good thing that reformulated gasoline hasn't caused the problem anticipated because on July 1 the state's road usage tax increased from 3 cents a gallon to 4 cents and the environmental fee went up from 0.6 to 1.3. This came on top of the current gasoline tax of 32 cents. Altogether, motorists must pay 38 cents in Colorado state taxes.
BRECKENRIDGE — Convenience stores here no longer can sell six-and twelve-pack bottles of water in plastic containers.
The town has banned the sale of single-use plastic water bottles under a gallon in an effort to achieve a 20 percent source reduction of municipal solid waste.
In addition to one-gallon bottles of water, stores can sell water packaged in aluminum cans, which many say is not feasible.
If you bring your own bottle the town now has refill stations scattered about. Town officials claimed that water may be cleaner than what is contained in plastic bottles.
The town has only 4,800 residents but motorists coming through Breckenridge number more than a million a year.
WESTMINSTER — The self-service gas station, which revolutioned the way gasoline was sold in Colorado, came into being here sixty years ago.
There was very little profit in running a gas station until John Roscoe decided to take a chance on a salesman's offer to install the device he had invented that would allow an attendant to stay inside the store and dispense gasoline at the pumps.
He tried it at one of his twelve stores. It was a huge success. Customers flocked in. So he added the device to two more stores. Sales at the stores jumped from 124 gallons a day to 4500 a week. He knew then that he was onto something good and so he quickly outfitted the rest. And slowly but surely the convenience store industry took notice. Now it is virtually impossible to find a full-service station in the country.
"For an investment of $10,000 I doubled my margin," Roscoe said.
MEAD — Club Car Wash has joined the burgeoning wash market in Colorado with the opening of a facility here. COO Collin Bartels said they have plans for expansion to Commerce City, Greely, and Lakewood.
The Columbia, Missouri-based firm launched in 2006 as Tiger Express and rebranded to its current name in 2019. From its beginnings with three locations it now operates in eleven states.
The grand opening featured a one-dollar wash and raised $2,839 for Mile High Canine Rescue, a local charity.
COLORADO SPRINGS — The police department said it has recovered nearly 1,000 gallons of fuel stolen from stations across Colorado.
Police focused on a pattern where a specially outfitted van siphoned hundreds of gallons of fuel at a time, which then was sold at a discounted price.
Aided by agents of Homeland Security and the El Paso County SWAT team the CSPD recovered 909 gallons from two addresses, along with multiple vehicles involved in the thefts and other evidence. The investigation is ongoing.
DENVER — Good 2 Go is adding Mexican fare to seven convenience stores in Colorado this summer.
It has signed a contract with a Mexican QSR which runs Rusty Taco for two sites in Denver, two each in Colorado Springs and neighboring Fountain, and one each in Dacono, Brighton and Castle Rock.
The agreement follows a trend toward offering motorists more than fuel and store food. Love's Travel Stops and Gas N Wash also have jumped in, partnering with Mickey's Greek restaurants.
LONGMONT — It has been a violent summer for convenience stores in the state.
In one of the latest incidents, a man whose vehicle was carjacked while he was inside a Longmont Circle K decided he wasn't going to take it. He pulled out his gun and confronted the fleeing suspect. He told police he shot him as the man reached for a weapon of his own when he saw the car owner's gun.
The carjacker was able to get away but drove over a curb, struck another curb, and smashed through rocks before being arrested at a hospital where he was being treated for a bullet wound. Police said he told them he had a record including other car thefts and sex offenses.
In Denver, police had to fire 36 bullets at a man threatening to kill 7-Eleven employees.
Police first tried to negotiate, but failing, tried to break down the door, but found it blocked by a desk and computer.
Through a small window officers saw the man holding a knife against the throat of an employee. Managing to push the door partly open, they fired 36 shots before the man gave up.
Police said Christopher Cauch, 43, had carjacked a vehicle two hours before the robbery attempt.
Originally published in the August 2024 issue of the O&A Marketing
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© KAL Publications Inc. 2024