Judging by the number of e-mail's and phone calls 2 On Your Side has received over the past few days, none of you are pleased about paying the highest gas prices in the country.

We've been asking everyone we can think of for an explanation.

2 On Your Side has spoken with oil companies, gas station retailers and the New York State Attorney General's Office.

Everyone has different reasons as to why gas prices are higher in Western New York than most other places.

Some say it's because we are farther away from refineries than any other area.  Others blame high taxes.

"Well, wait a minute," said Congressman Brian Higgins. "Albany, Syracuse and Rochester are all subject to the same taxation as Buffalo."

Higgins isn't sure what to think. 2 On Your Side asked him about the situation last week. He promised to look into it.

"What are you hearing and who have you talked to so far," 2 On Your Side's Josh Boose asked Higgins on Monday night.

"I'm talking to distributors, and I'm talking to the federal government, to the Federal Trade Commission," said Higgins."I'm trying to figure out either to confirm these theories or dismiss them."

Higgins wants the Federal Trade Commission to investigate.
The F.T.C. says it's looking into that possibility, but hasn't decided if it will.

"The problem is, you're dealing with a lame duck administration," said Higgins. "It's a problem, and people are not as anxious as a fresh group of people may be. Still, we're using the leverage of our office, my office, to get them to do what they ought to be doing which is a natural course of responsibility and they have to do it until the price of gasoline comes down. The bottom line is gas is more expensive in Buffalo, New York than any other place in the state and there's a reason and we have to get to the reason to do something about it. "

According to the AAA, gas prices in Western New York on Monday were higher than anywhere else in the state with an average of $2.77 for a gallon of regular unleaded. The state average is 15 cents cheaper at $2.62 a gallon. The national average per gallon is $2.24.

Help us track gas prices around WNY, by updating our WNY Gas Prices Map.