New record: Diesel is now $6.21 a gallon in Mass. and regular gas has jumped 14 cents this week

BOSTON — Those drives to see mom this weekend are going to be a whole lot more expensive than last year.

AAA says gas prices in Massachusetts are skyrocketing again - with diesel fuel now at a new record.

Diesel is now selling for an average of $6.21.

That’s more than double the cost from a year ago when diesel was selling for $3.02 a gallon in Massachusetts.

Regular unleaded is now $4.30 a gallon - a jump of 14 cents in a week - and approaching the record of $4.36 set back on March 11.

Gas prices in Massachusetts are also higher than the national average of $4.28.

A week ago, Democrats in Congress announced an effort to give the Federal Trade Commission increased authority to crack down on companies that engage in price gouging.

In doing so, they downplayed the possibility of other options such as a federal gas tax holiday or offering oil companies more government incentives to increase production. Instead, they said the FTC needs more tools, including stiffer fines and penalties and a team of dedicated experts to monitor markets and go after price gouging.

Industry groups dismissed use of the FTC to investigate price manipulation as a political stunt. “Using the power of the FTC to undertake political investigations of American energy companies will not lower gas prices by a penny,″ said Anne Bradbury, CEO of the American Exploration and Production Council, a trade association representing independent oil and natural gas companies.

Republicans were equally dismissive of the Democratic proposal.

“My Democratic colleagues are doubling down on their blatant blame-shifting for political cover,’’ said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state. “The American people know this isn’t price gouging or Putin’s price hike. It’s a Biden price hike since the day he took office.”

President Joe Biden, aware of the political stakes, has vowed to do all he can to ease “pain at the pump for American families,” including ordering the release of record amounts of oil from the nation’s strategic reserve.

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