According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and AAA-Iowa, gasoline prices in the state held steady over the past week, but most fuels trended upward in cost. As of Wednesday, Jan. 23, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $2.89, even with last week but up 20 cents from a year ago. The national average for gasoline rose four cents to $3.13 per gallon. Iowa retail diesel prices rose five cents this week to a statewide average of $3.44 per gallon, compared to $3.58 per gallon this time last year. Local prices held 23 cents below the $3.67 national average. Wholesale ethanol was unchanged from $2.16 per gallon. In heating fuels, natural gas prices at the Henry Hub reporting site rose 14 cents to $3.29 per MMBtu, propane prices jumped eight cents to $1.67 per gallon, and home heating oil prices rose 11 cents to $3.04 per gallon.
