Florida gas prices have risen to their highest level in seven years as Gov. Ron DeSantis said prices could continue to rise.
A gallon of regular gas was up to an average of $3.17 on Monday, its highest price since October 2014, according to the American Automobile Association.
That's a 13-cent jump from just last week and more than a dollar above last year's price, which was $2.16 per gallon.
Florida's average price is still below the national average, which is $3.27 per gallon.
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An industry analyst said the rise comes as the cost of crude oil increases and demand is up in Europe. Experts say paying more for a trip to the pump could be the new normal for a while.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis discussed rising gas prices at a news conference in Winter Haven Monday.
"I'm really worried about gas prices going up, that's gonna really hammer a lot of Floridians who have to commute to work everyday," DeSantis said. "We should be using the resources we have in this country, we have a lot of opportunities, instead they're shutting down pipelines and they're doing other things, so that's gonna be a real big concern."
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DeSantis said the increases could be around for a while.
"What you're seeing with energy and gas prices is real, I'd like to say it's just gonna peter out but I think you're probably looking at a winter period where, I mean you're already seeing things being, the supplies are not what they used to be, there's a whole host of things that are really having problems right now," he said.
