The Federal Trade Commission saidits staff has urged the governor of Georgia to veto a bill that
would prohibit petroleum refiners from owning and operating
retail gasoline stations.
    The proposed legislation is aimed at preventing large oil
refiners and marketers from using predatory or monopolistic
practices against franchised dealers.
    But the FTC said fears of refiner-owned stations as part of
a scheme of predatory or monopolistic practices are unfounded.
It called the bill anticompetitive and warned that it would
force higher gasoline prices for Georgia motorists.
 Reuter
