What Could Alleviate High Gasoline Prices in This State?

Due to its California Air Resources Board and the regulations imposed by it, Californians pay a premium at the pump to every state that's not named Alaska. One might wonder why California is able to enforce these standards; it's because the state-run organization was already in place before the Clean Air Act was passed. Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency is trying to enact the low sulfur and nitrogen oxide standards throughout the country, but there has been some pushback.

Is there any help on the horizon?
Those who call California home are certainly hoping so. Increased infrastructure to get cheaper Bakken formation and other mid-continent oil to the West Coast is likely to begin appearing in 2014. One of the state's biggest refiners, Tesoro , plans on increasing rail capacity to ports on the coast where it can then ship the cheaper, lighter oil to its refineries throughout the state. Couple this with pipeline expansions in Canada, and some, not total, relief could be in sight.

The general partner of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners will likely see some payback, as well
It's easy to forget the necessity of midstream operators that seamlessly transport oil and gas throughout the United States. Kinder Morgan is one of these operators, and one that investors should commit to memory due to its sheer size - it's the fourth largest energy company in the U.S. -- not to mention its enormous potential for profits. In The Motley Fool's premium research report on Kinder Morgan, we break down the company's growing opportunity - as well as the risks to watch out for - in order to uncover whether it's a buy or a sell. To determine whether this dividend giant is right for your portfolio, simply click here now to claim your copy of this invaluable investor's resource.

The article What Could Alleviate High Gasoline Prices in This State? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Taylor Muckerman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.