A candidate for Guam Delegate, Mary Camacho Torres is urging the Guam Legislature to support a federal review of gasoline pricing on the island, saying residents deserve greater transparency as fuel costs continue to rise.
In a letter to Sen. Jesse Lujan, chairman of the Legislature’s federal and regional affairs committee, Torres asked lawmakers to consider introducing a resolution urging the Federal Trade Commission to study Guam’s fuel market.
Torres said she wrote the FTC on March 9 requesting the agency use its authority under Section 6(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act to examine how fuel prices are determined locally.
“An impartial review benefits everyone. It gives consumers confidence that the market is working fairly, and it gives suppliers the same fairness if the increases we’re seeing are driven by global conditions,” Torres said.
Torres acknowledged that global tensions, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran, have created volatility in oil markets worldwide, but said those conditions make transparency even more important for consumers in places like Guam.
Fuel prices on Guam have continued to climb since Torres sent her request. Regular gasoline has increased from about $5.30 per gallon to roughly $5.67, while diesel has risen from around $6.54 to about $7.34 per gallon.
Torres said the increases are adding pressure on families and businesses already facing a high cost of living.
She also pointed to Guam’s strategic role in the region, noting the island hosts major U.S. military installations including Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Base Guam and Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz.
While the U.S. military procures fuel through separate contracts, Torres said the civilian fuel market still supports contractors, transportation providers and other businesses tied to military operations.
“A legislative resolution from the Guam Legislature would help demonstrate that this is not a partisan issue, but a matter of public concern shared across our community,” Torres wrote.