Stations in Dallas, Houston out of gas

Transportation problems lead retailers to run dry in heart of oil country

NEW YORK – Dozens of service stations around Houston and Dallas, the heart of the U.S. oil industry, are out of gasoline after transportation problems resurfaced with the switch to a new anti-smog fuel blend using ethanol, suppliers said Friday.

The shortages add to scattered supply outages on the East Coast that began last week due to the transition, prompting Maryland and Pennsylvania to request waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that would allow them to sell a cheaper, lower grade of gasoline.

American drivers, heading into the summer vacation season, have already seen a spike of more than 40 cents a gallon in a month to an average nationwide pump price of $2.93 per gallon, tracking record crude oil costs.