State Fuel Standards Amplify Price Shocks

When a state mandates a unique gasoline formulation and tight local standards, it isolates its fuel market to a handful of capable refineries. That isolation makes the market far more sensitive to refinery closures or minor disruptions, forcing expensive imports and raising pump prices while sometimes increasing lifecycle emissions. — Shows how well‑intentioned environmental and consumer‑protection rules can backfire economically and environmentally by creating brittle, high‑cost supply chains.