$9 Gas In New Jersey & Pennsylvania

(New Jersey) More than 50 gas stations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania raised prices to more than $8 a gallon Wednesday to protest what they say are unfair pricing practices by Lukoil North America that leave them at a competitive disadvantage.

Station owners hope to bring consumer attention to the fight.

They say Lukoil, which is based in Russia, forces franchisees to pay higher prices for their fuel than competitors.

Lukoil North America has said it complies with state law and accused the gas station association of encouraging “public misstatements and ill-conceived actions.”

The first Lukoil-branded service stations in the U.S. opened in 2003 and today the company has more than 500 in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.