California’s gasoline demand declined 1.1 percent while average prices were $4.11 per gallon in August 2012 according to fuel tax data released Tuesday by Betty T. Yee, First District Member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE).  

Diesel consumption declined 2.1 percent while diesel fuel prices averaged $4.24 per gallon in August.

“High gasoline prices keep straining California families’ budgets, and in turn affect their consumption habits,” said Yee.

California’s gasoline consumption was 1.26 billion gallons in August 2012, down 14 million gallons or a 1.1 percent decline from last August.

California average gasoline prices were up 29 cents to $4.11 in August or 7.5 percent higher than August 2011, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The EIA also reported that U.S. retail gasoline prices averaged $3.78 a gallon in August 2012, up 8 cents from August 2011.

California’s diesel consumption was 223 million gallons in August 2012, down 5 million gallons or a 2.1 percent decline from August 2011.   

California’s average diesel prices went up 23 cents to $4.24 per gallon this August compared to August 2011. The EIA reported the U.S. average diesel prices in August was up 12 cents to $3.98.

For more information on California fuel statistics reports based on fuel tax receipts paid by distributors in California, visit: www.boe.ca.gov/sptaxprog/spftrpts.htm .