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<\/p>\nThousands of travelers across Southern California are already on their way traveling 50 miles or more for the upcoming Independence Day holiday later this week.<\/p>\n
That’s according to the Auto Club of Southern California. The AAA is also monitoring a possible increase in gas prices Tuesday.<\/p>\n
First, the state\u2019s excise tax rate will increase from 59.6 cents to 61.2 cents per gallon. That happens July 1 with the penny-and-a-half added to the price at the pump.<\/p>\n
Haley Hersley topped off the tank of her 4 X 4 Silverado truck, Sunday morning, at the Summit gas station in the Midway District.<\/p>\n
She and her husband and two children were headed back home to the Eastern Sierras. They were in San Diego to celebrate their son Jackson\u2019s 6th birthday at SeaWorld. “The sharks were probably his favorite thing,” said Iriel Santana, his father.<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tM.G. Perez<\/p>\n
\t\t\tM.G. Perez<\/p>\n
Haley Hersley puts gasoline in her truck before heading home with her husband and two children to the Eastern Sierras, Sunday morning, June 29, 2025.<\/p>\n
The family couldn\u2019t resist the advertised price of regular $4.25 per gallon.<\/p>\n
\u201cGas is already expensive enough, especially like where we\u2019re from Bishop, California. It’s a rural area. They already charge higher,” she said. <\/p>\n
\u00a0Also on July 1, implementation begins of new stricter environmental regulations for the state program called the Low Carbon Fuel Standard<\/a>.<\/p>\n In November, the California Air Resources Board voted to strengthen the program, which functions as a sort of cap-and-trade program, incentivizing oil and gas companies to cut emissions and requiring those that don\u2019t to buy credits from the ones that do.<\/p>\n \u201cGasoline producers have to drastically reduce carbon emissions. Either that or they have to purchase emission credits which basically means they have to support financially other projects that are going to reduce emissions,” said Anlleyn Venegas, spokeswoman for the American Automobile Association San Diego<\/p>\n Exactly how much more is not clear. Which means it is uncertain whether consumers will pay the additional costs at the pump.<\/p>\n
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