These wouldn't be the states with the highest gasolene taxes, would they?

I checked: http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/statistics/gas_taxes_by_state_2002.html

Minnesota, Arkansas, Alaska and Iowa are at or slightly below the national average of 42 cents per gallon.

The other four states had taxes near the top of the list.

Not enough to call it a factor in and of itself, I'd say.

Part of the reason why gasoline costs vary so much between States is that many States have specific reformulation requirements (e.g. so much of it needs to come from ethanol) which means that a gallon of gas sold in Texas may not necessarily be able to be sold in Minnesota or California. Which means then that refineries cannot simply mass produce gasoline for the entire country but have to make specific batches for specific States/regions which makes it more expensive and also creates bottle necks in the supply.

IMNHO is the attorneys general really are concerned about why gasoline is so expensive in their States (even though it’s cheaper than bottled water and pretty cheap when you adjust for inflation), they ought to look at what their own reformulation requirements of their States.

I heard something on the radio that Christine Gregoire (Attorney General/Democrat candidate for governor of Washington) was getting involved in this. The report I heard indicates that what they are calling for is a criminal investigation. Up here in the Seattle area we have even higher prices than most (regular is over $2.40 in places right now here) and I still think this is pretty much shameless grandstanding.