Pump Patrol: Average gas prices on LI over $3 as pipeline operations resume

The Colonial Pipeline Company announced Wednesday that operations have restarted following the hacking shutdown.  
The shutdown had led four states to declare states of emergency because the Colonial Pipeline transports gas from Texas to New Jersey and supplies about 45% of fuel to the East Coast.
AAA says the average gas price on Long Island is about $3.02, which is in line with the statewide average. New York's average price is up 6 cents since last week and has risen about 13 cents since last month.
"The prices going up most recently have nothing to do with the pipeline," says Robert Sinclair, of AAA. "They start going up in March when we switch over to the summer blends of gasoline, which are more expensive."
The national average is almost exactly $3, just 2 cents less than New York's figure.
Some gas stations here on the Island are limiting customers after reports of stations in the South running out of gas.
Rocky Sarno, who owns the Gulf station in Williston Park, says he's limiting customers to $20 worth of gas.
"Unfortunately, I'm trying to ration my gas only because I don't know how much longer I'm going to have enough gas in the ground to be pumping gas and I don't know where my next delivery is so I'm just trying to be a little cautious," says Sarno.
One of the cheaper stations was the Mobile station on Jericho Turnpike where gas was $2.89 a gallon.
Gas prices at the Citgo gas station on Jackson Avenue in Syosset is $3.15 with cash and $3.25 with credit. The Shell Station in Jericho on Jericho Turnpike has prices at $3.35 a gallon.
Drivers who spoke with News 12 say they hope the prices don't keep going up.
"Certainly hoping that it reverts back down to the high twos but ideally would like it to be back, back to where it was," says Steve Barusch, of East Islip. "Whether that will happen or not remains to be seen especially as we go towards summer."