On September 11th, 2001, some gas stations in the Midwest US (Oklahoma
and Louisiana I believe) raised prices of gas to $2.00 and even $5.00
a gallon immediatly after the attacks. Some time after that, those
statwere fined $10,000 for (i believe) price gouging. I'm looking for
information on that lawsuit: Details of the Lawsuit, the grounds for
the $10,000 fine.

explorer5,

I am going to go ahead and post my comment as an Answer to your
question.

Before rating my answer on this question, if you require additional
information or assistance, please post a request for Answer
Clarification, and I will do my best to help you out!

Gas Gouging After September 11
I was living in St. Louis at the time, so I happened to know that at
least one of the states in which this happened was Missouri. However,
most of the fines were for $1,000, although some of the businesses had
to pay considerably more.
 
Article about the lawsuits, on Fleet Owner website: 
http://tragedy.fleetowner.com/ar/fleet_states_suing_gas/ 
 
September 24, 2001 - Tim Parry, Fleet Owner web editor 
------------------------------------------------------ 
"Attorneys general of four states issued subpoenas, and in some cases,
filed lawsuits today against gas stations for allegedly price-gouging
customers shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks, according
to American Automobile Assoc. (AAA) of Northern California. The states
of Florida, Illinois, Kansas and Michigan have all taken steps toward
legal action against suppliers for illegally profiteering amidst fears
of possible gasoline shortages."
 
Details of the Missouri settlement: 
http://www.ago.state.mo.us/100201.htm 
 
October 2, 2001 - Office of Missouri Attorney General Newsletter 
---------------------------------------------------------------- 
"Jefferson City, Mo. — Forty-eight gasoline retailers from around the
state are going to pay $60,043.51 in penalties and costs for violating
Missouri's rules and regulations on price gouging in the wake of the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Attorney General Jay Nixon announced
today."
 
------------------------------ 
 
Details of the Michigan lawsuit: 
http://www.michigan.gov/minewswire/0,1607,7-136-3452_3458-44582--M_2002_1,00.html
January 28, 2002 - State of Michigan Newswire  
 
"Attorney General Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that she has
sued three Michigan gas stations accused of gas gouging in the wake of
the September 11 terrorist attacks on the East Coast...Granholm
accused a total of 49 gas stations of gas gouging violations. Each
station was required to implement a program to fully reimburse all
customers...The majority of stations immediately responded to
Granholm’s accusations. In addition to the three lawsuits announced
today, 25 cases are now closed. Thirteen remain open but are expected
to be closed shortly as final documentation and civil penalties are
forwarded to Granholm’s office. Granholm is considering lawsuits
against eight other stations that have not agreed to resolve
outstanding issues related to customer refunds and restitution. Thus
far, nearly $15,000 in civil penalties has been paid to the state and
tens of thousands of dollars in reimbursements have been made to
consumers."
 
http://www.lsj.com/news/capitol/020128gas_1b-2b.html 
January 29, 2002 - Stacey Range, Lansing State Journal  
 
"In all, 49 Michigan stations were accused of excessive and illegal
price increases between Sept. 11-13. Station owners said they raised
prices because they feared a fuel shortage if the nation entered war
with Afghanistan."
 
------------------------------ 
 
Details of the Kansas lawsuit: 
http://www.ink.org/public/ksag/contents/news-releases/2002news/gas_woodAVC.htm
July 9, 2002 - State of Kansas Attorney General's Office 
 
"Wood Oil has agreed to pay $16,500 in penalties and fees for 22
retail stations which charged more than $2.49 per gallon of gasoline
in the hours after the terrorist attacks. Those stations are located
in Atchison, Concordia, Fort Scott, Junction City, Lansing, Lawrence,
Leavenworth, Lenexa, Olathe, Ottawa, and Wamego. This agreement does
not apply to Wood Oil stations in Shawnee and Wyandotte counties which
were being litigated for alleged price gouging on the local level."
------------------------------ 
 
Details of the Arkansas lawsuit: 
 
http://www.ag.state.ar.us/prrecent34.htm 
September 19, 2001 - State of Arkansas Attorney General's Office 
 
"LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Attorney General Mark Pryor today filed civil
lawsuits against five gasoline retailers who charged inordinately high
gas prices following last week’s terrorist attacks on the United
States."
 
http://www.ag.state.ar.us/prrecent38.htm 
October 12, 2001 - State of Arkansas Attorney General's Office 
 
"LITTLE ROCK : After a month-long investigation, Attorney General Mark
Pryor today sent letters to more than 150 Arkansas gas stations that
had dramatically raised their gasoline prices on September 11,
following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.  The
Attorney General’s Office has received a total of over 1,500 phone
calls and over 800 formal complaints from consumers outraged by the
unjustified practices of a few gas retailers who took advantage of the
public’s fear, shock and confusion on September 11."
 
------------------------------ 
 
Details of the Ohio lawsuit: 
http://www.ag.state.oh.us/pressrel/gas%20gouging%20settlement%2011%2015%2001.htm
November 15, 2001 - State of Ohio Attorney General's Office 
 
"Columbus –  Twenty-three gas retailers accused of price gouging in
the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks have signed agreements to repay
consumers and make donations to the American Red Cross totaling
$16,000.  Ohio Attorney General Betty D. Montgomery made that
announcement today after taking legal action against retailers who
doubled, and in some cases, tripled the price of gas."
 
------------------------------ 
 
Details of the Mississippi lawsuit: 
http://www.ago.state.ms.us/news-events/archived-news/apr02news.htm 
April 18, 2002 - State of Mississippi Attorney General's Office 
 
"Attorney General Mike Moore announced today that $30,252.95, which
was received from gasoline wholesalers ("wholesalers") as a result of
gasoline price increases which occurred on September 11, 2001, has
been contributed to the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers and Fire
Fighters Death Benefits Trust Fund ("Trust Fund"). The Trust Fund,
established by the Legislature in 1999, provides financial assistance
to the families of law enforcement officers and fire fighters injured
or killed in the line of duty. In addition, wholesalers have
contributed $37,920.00 to various "September 11" relief funds."
 
------------------------------ 
 
Details of the Florida lawsuit: 
http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/press/2001/12052001.html 
December 5, 2001 - State of Florida Dept of Agriculture and Consumer
Services
 
"TALLAHASSEE - Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner
Charles H. Bronson announced today that he is seeking $86,000 from 53
gas stations around the state for alleged price gouging in the
aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks."
 
------------------------------ 
 
Details of the Illinois lawsuit: 
http://www.ag.state.il.us/pressrelease/092601b.htm 
September 26, 2001 - State of Illinois Attorney General's Office 
 
"SPRINGFIELD – Exactly two weeks after suing Casey’s General Store
Inc. for gouging Illinois motorists in the wake of the terrorist
attack, Attorney General Jim Ryan announced a settlement with Casey’s
today requiring the Iowa-based company to make full restitution to
consumers and pay $30,000 to the State of Illinois."
 
------------------------------ 
 
Unfortunately, the laws in Alabama did not support prosecution: 
http://www.ago.state.al.us   search term:gouging 
"(MONTGOMERY)--This office has received inquiries from citizens
regarding concerns about gas shortages and potential price gouging.
Regarding allegations of possible price gouging, that law applies only
during times of a governor's declaration of a state of emergency and
this office has no power to take legal action. Unless and until this
occurs, citizens should respond to high prices by exercising their own
formidable power to take their business to others whose prices are
reasonable and ..."
 
------------------------------ 
 
Nor in Louisiana: 
http://www.laag.org/pressrel/091201.htm 
 
"'To enforce Louisiana’s price gouging statute, there must be a state
of emergency declared by the governor', explained Ieyoub.  'A parish
president may also make that proclamation within his jurisdiction.  We
don’t have either of those cases yet in Louisiana.'"
------------------------------ 
 
Nor in Minnesota: 
http://www.citypages.com/databank/23/1100/article10052.asp 
 
"Investigation-happy Attorney General Mike Hatch promises to launch a
probe into collusion and price gouging among service-station owners.
The investigation runs out of gas, since the industry is unregulated
in Minnesota and Hatch has no legal authority
to...uh...do...uh...anything. Still, in anticipation of higher gas
prices following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the AG tries to
rile legislators by equating station owners who raised prices "to $4
or $5 or $6 a gallon" on September 11 with people "selling oxygen
masks in Manhattan that day." Prices around the metro subsequently
drop as much as 35 cents a gallon; by mid-December gas goes for under
a buck."


Search Strategy

september 11 gas gouging lawsuits
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=september+11+gas+gouging+lawsuits&btnG=Google+Search

st louis september 11 gas gouging
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=st+louis+september+11+gas+gouging&btnG=Google+Search

Mississippi september 11 gas gouging lawsuit
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Mississippi+september+11+gas+gouging+lawsuit&btnG=Google+Search

Ohio september 11 gas gouging lawsuit
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Ohio+september+11+gas+gouging+lawsuit&btnG=Google+Search

oklahoma september 11 gas gouging
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=oklahoma+september+11+gas+gouging&btnG=Google+Search

Florida attorney general gas gouging
://www.google.com/search?q=Florida+attorney+general+gas+gouging&btnG=Google+Search&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

state attorney general's office
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=state+attorney+general%27s+office

I hope this response has provided you with the information you were
seeking!

aceresearcher

---

Clarification of Answer by aceresearcher-ga on 12 Nov 2002 10:30 PST

Hello again explorer5! 
 
I just wanted to verify that that my response to your question met
your needs.

Google Answers, and its Researchers, rely on Ratings by customers for
a sense of how well we're performing.  Please take the time to rate
the quality of my Answer, giving it 5 Stars if it met your needs!

Thanks!
 
aceresearcher

I was living in St. Louis at the time, so I happened to know that at
least one of the states in which this happened was Missouri. However,
most of the fines were for $1,000, although some of the businesses had
to pay considerably more.

Article about the lawsuits, on Fleet Owner website:
http://tragedy.fleetowner.com/ar/fleet_states_suing_gas/

September 24, 2001 - Tim Parry, Fleet Owner web editor
------------------------------------------------------
Attorneys general of four states issued subpoenas, and in some cases,
filed lawsuits today against gas stations for allegedly price-gouging
customers shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks, according
to American Automobile Assoc. (AAA) of Northern California. The states
of Florida, Illinois, Kansas and Michigan have all taken steps toward
legal action against suppliers for illegally profiteering amidst fears
of possible gasoline shortages.

Details of the Missouri settlement:
http://www.ago.state.mo.us/100201.htm

October 2, 2001 - Office of Missouri Attorney General Newsletter
----------------------------------------------------------------
Jefferson City, Mo. — Forty-eight gasoline retailers from around the
state are going to pay $60,043.51 in penalties and costs for violating
Missouri's rules and regulations on price gouging in the wake of the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Attorney General Jay Nixon announced
today.

Details of the Michigan lawsuit:
January 28, 2002 - State of Michigan Newswire
---------------------------------------------

January 29, 2002 - Stacey Range, Lansing State Journal
---------------------------------------------

Oops! suffering from premature posticulation tonight...

Details of the Michigan lawsuit:
http://www.michigan.gov/minewswire/0,1607,7-136-3452_3458-44582--M_2002_1,00.html
January 28, 2002 - State of Michigan Newswire 

Attorney General Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that she has
sued three Michigan gas stations accused of gas gouging in the wake of
the September 11 terrorist attacks on the East Coast...Granholm
accused a total of 49 gas stations of gas gouging violations. Each
station was required to implement a program to fully reimburse all
customers...The majority of stations immediately responded to
Granholm’s accusations. In addition to the three lawsuits announced
today, 25 cases are now closed. Thirteen remain open but are expected
to be closed shortly as final documentation and civil penalties are
forwarded to Granholm’s office. Granholm is considering lawsuits
against eight other stations that have not agreed to resolve
outstanding issues related to customer refunds and restitution. Thus
far, nearly $15,000 in civil penalties has been paid to the state and
tens of thousands of dollars in reimbursements have been made to
consumers.

http://www.lsj.com/news/capitol/020128gas_1b-2b.html
January 29, 2002 - Stacey Range, Lansing State Journal 

In all, 49 Michigan stations were accused of excessive and illegal
price increases between Sept. 11-13. Station owners said they raised
prices because they feared a fuel shortage if the nation entered war
with Afghanistan.

------------------------------

Details of the Kansas lawsuit:
http://www.ink.org/public/ksag/contents/news-releases/2002news/gas_woodAVC.htm
July 9, 2002 - State of Kansas Attorney General's Office

Wood Oil has agreed to pay $16,500 in penalties and fees for 22 retail
stations which charged more than $2.49 per gallon of gasoline in the
hours after the terrorist attacks. Those stations are located in
Atchison, Concordia, Fort Scott, Junction City, Lansing, Lawrence,
Leavenworth, Lenexa, Olathe, Ottawa, and Wamego. This agreement does
not apply to Wood Oil stations in Shawnee and Wyandotte counties which
were being litigated for alleged price gouging on the local level.

------------------------------

Details of the Arkansas lawsuit:

http://www.ag.state.ar.us/prrecent34.htm
September 19, 2001 - State of Arkansas Attorney General's Office

LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Attorney General Mark Pryor today filed civil
lawsuits against five gasoline retailers who charged inordinately high
gas prices following last week’s terrorist attacks on the United
States.

http://www.ag.state.ar.us/prrecent38.htm
October 12, 2001 - State of Arkansas Attorney General's Office

LITTLE ROCK : After a month-long investigation, Attorney General Mark
Pryor today sent letters to more than 150 Arkansas gas stations that
had dramatically raised their gasoline prices on September 11,
following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.  The
Attorney General’s Office has received a total of over 1,500 phone
calls and over 800 formal complaints from consumers outraged by the
unjustified practices of a few gas retailers who took advantage of the
public’s fear, shock and confusion on September 11.

------------------------------

Details of the Ohio lawsuit:
http://www.ag.state.oh.us/pressrel/gas%20gouging%20settlement%2011%2015%2001.htm
November 15, 2001 - State of Ohio Attorney General's Office

Columbus –  Twenty-three gas retailers accused of price gouging in the
wake of the Sept. 11 attacks have signed agreements to repay consumers
and make donations to the American Red Cross totaling $16,000.  Ohio
Attorney General Betty D. Montgomery made that announcement today
after taking legal action against retailers who doubled, and in some
cases, tripled the price of gas.

------------------------------

Details of the Mississippi lawsuit:
http://www.ago.state.ms.us/news-events/archived-news/apr02news.htm
April 18, 2002 - State of Mississippi Attorney General's Office

Attorney General Mike Moore announced today that $30,252.95, which was
received from gasoline wholesalers ("wholesalers") as a result of
gasoline price increases which occurred on September 11, 2001, has
been contributed to the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers and Fire
Fighters Death Benefits Trust Fund ("Trust Fund"). The Trust Fund,
established by the Legislature in 1999, provides financial assistance
to the families of law enforcement officers and fire fighters injured
or killed in the line of duty. In addition, wholesalers have
contributed $37,920.00 to various "September 11" relief funds.

------------------------------

Details of the Florida lawsuit:
http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/press/2001/12052001.html
December 5, 2001 - State of Florida Dept of Agriculture and Consumer
Services

TALLAHASSEE - Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner
Charles H. Bronson announced today that he is seeking $86,000 from 53
gas stations around the state for alleged price gouging in the
aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

------------------------------

Details of the Illinois lawsuit:
http://www.ag.state.il.us/pressrelease/092601b.htm
September 26, 2001 - State of Illinois Attorney General's Office

SPRINGFIELD – Exactly two weeks after suing Casey’s General Store Inc.
for gouging Illinois motorists in the wake of the terrorist attack,
Attorney General Jim Ryan announced a settlement with Casey’s today
requiring the Iowa-based company to make full restitution to consumers
and pay $30,000 to the State of Illinois.

------------------------------

Unfortunately, the laws in Alabama did not support prosecution:
http://www.ago.state.al.us   search term:gouging
(MONTGOMERY)--This office has received inquiries from citizens
regarding concerns about gas shortages and potential price gouging.
Regarding allegations of possible price gouging, that law applies only
during times of a governor's declaration of a state of emergency and
this office has no power to take legal action. Unless and until this
occurs, citizens should respond to high prices by exercising their own
formidable power to take their business to others whose prices are
reasonable and ...

------------------------------

Nor in Louisiana:
http://www.laag.org/pressrel/091201.htm

"To enforce Louisiana’s price gouging statute, there must be a state
of emergency declared by the governor,” explained Ieyoub.  “A parish
president may also make that proclamation within his jurisdiction.  We
don’t have either of those cases yet in Louisiana.”

------------------------------

Nor in Minnesota:
http://www.citypages.com/databank/23/1100/article10052.asp

Investigation-happy Attorney General Mike Hatch promises to launch a
probe into collusion and price gouging among service-station owners.
The investigation runs out of gas, since the industry is unregulated
in Minnesota and Hatch has no legal authority
to...uh...do...uh...anything. Still, in anticipation of higher gas
prices following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the AG tries to
rile legislators by equating station owners who raised prices "to $4
or $5 or $6 a gallon" on September 11 with people "selling oxygen
masks in Manhattan that day." Prices around the metro subsequently
drop as much as 35 cents a gallon; by mid-December gas goes for under
a buck.