PORTLAND, Maine — Gas prices held steady through the Independence Day weekend in Maine and the country as a whole, driven by crude oil prices edging down.
Maine’s average price for a gallon of regular gasoline held steady at $2.79, close to the national average as of Sunday, which was $2.77, according to price tracking website GasBuddy.com.
Maine’s prices remained on par with much of the Midwest, higher than southern states and lower than areas on the West Coast.
Gregg Laskoski, a senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, said the decline runs counter to consumer expectations for June and July, but the benchmark West Texas Intermediate price for a barrel of crude oil ended last week lower than one week before.
Retail gas prices typically follow fluctuations in crude oil prices.
Over the year, the average price of a gallon of gas in Maine has fallen about 95 cents. The price last week was about five cents higher than one month earlier.
The national average last week was about 89 cents lower than one year ago and 1 cent higher than one month ago.
Sam’s Club in Bangor held the lowest price in the state through the past week, at $2.58 per gallon, followed by Citgo in Veazie, at $2.59 per gallon.
The stations with the highest prices were just over $3, in Island Falls and Cumberland.