Gas prices hit Labor Day high

Gasoline prices were highest ever for Labor Day

The average price of gas going into this Labor Day weekend reached a record holiday high compared with past years at $4.14 a gallon, according to a national tracking average from AAA . The previous record for Labor Day was $3.82 in 2012.

On Monday, prices reached an average of $4.15 per gallon.

Trump administration officials have repeatedly sidestepped questions about the future of fuel prices. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, when asked Sunday by Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union,” did not address whether gas prices could keep going up as a result of continued pressure from the Iran war and the war between Russia and Ukraine, among other factors. “Look, I don’t want to have an opinion on that, but if you look at the futures market right now, what can you buy gasoline for two months in advance from where we are today? It’s down more than 30 cents a gallon from where it is today,” Wright said.

Programming Note: I’m off the rest of this week so there won’t be a newsletter. I’ll be back on Monday.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

The Trump administration on Tuesday announced it will loan $1.9 billion to NextEra Energy to finance the restart of an Iowa nuclear plant.

President Trump on Monday said oil prices “will drop precipitously” after the Iran war is won, as Iran seeks to maintain its control of the Strait of Hormuz with a “restricted zone.”

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday that the U.S. has “a lot of leverage” over Venezuela after the Trump administration reached a deal with the latter government to grant it control of more than 65 billion barrels of oil.

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics :

After 9/11, Documents Suggest, New Yorkers Were Misled About Air Quality ( The New York Times )

Trump Is Quietly Planning to Majorly Change How National Parks Are Run ( NOTUS )

Iceland’s government called in the U.S. ambassador on Monday after President Trump posted a map showing the Nordic nation blanketed by the American flag. Read more

Kansas Sens. Jerry Moran (R) and Roger Marshall (R) are defending private jet maker Bombardier from growing pressure from President Trump, who on Monday declared the Canadian aerospace company would no longer be able to sell planes in the United States. Read more

You’re all caught up. See you next week!