Some NIU professors say high gas prices reflect failure of state and federal governments to invest in alternative fuels.

As summer approaches and the desire to drive increases, so does the demand for gas, which causes a spike in fuel costs.

Due to the record-setting increase in oil prices this week, OPEC delegates have officially said oil prices are too high. The price was $74 a barrel as of press time.

With current tensions mounting in the Middle East, especially in Iran, and the world’s oil supply decreasing, fuel costs have dramatically increased, leaving middle- and low-class Americans to suffer at the gas pumps, economics professor Khan Mohabbat said.

Others said the rise in fuel costs could have been alleviated if the government spent the time and money on developing alternative fuel sources.

“The government’s failure to conduct any significant programs to develop alternative fuels is apparent in the high gas prices today,” said Mikel Wyckoff, associate professor of political science. “Oil prices alone will not have a significant impact against this administration, but it is one of many grievances people have against this administration.”

Many government officials are insincere about their desire to create alternative fuel sources, Mohabbat said.

“When public officials talk about ethanol, it is usually only rhetoric used to appease the angry populace, who are angry about gas prices,” Mohabbat said. “In order to make ethanol a viable alternative, billions of dollars in infrastructure needs to be produced, but the government is not doing it. The only nation that has had success with ethanol production is Brazil, who has spent billions of dollars and 20 years developing their ethanol infrastructure.”

However, governmental agencies are confident that for this year at least, prices will stabilize and decrease.

“Crude oil prices are on the increase and the major factors are increased demand as well as high prices of gasoline. Secondary factors are the hurricane-ruined refineries out of commission for maintenance,” said Jonathan Cogan, energy information specialist for the Energy Information Administration. “Third, changes for the specifications for gas that require less sulfur emissions [haven’t been implemented].”

Conditions will improve once order is restored.

“Once the refineries stabilize and the gulf refineries come back online, we can begin to see a stabilization and eventually a decrease in fuel costs,” Cogan said.