LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Gas prices in Nevada have now passed the $5 mark.

In southern Nevada, two major pipelines are tasked with transporting fuel to the Las Vegas valley and surrounding areas; one pipeline transports fuel from Salt Lake City in Utah and the other from Los Angeles in California.

However, with more than 85 percent of the valley’s fuel coming from California, the increasing cost of gasoline has some experts saying it may be time to look more locally.

“It does make diversity of fuel supply an important conversation to have,” said Political Consultant Matt Klink.

On March 9, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo sent a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom, where he expressed concerns over proposed changes to California’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Gov. Lombardo fears the proposed changes would negatively affect California’s fuel supply to the Silver State.

“This is the case and point of why no state should be dependent on another state for its transportation and mobility and in this case Nevada pulls in oil and transportation fuels primarily if not exclusively from California and it is a big problem,” Klink added.

With one California oil refinery having closed back in October and a second one set to close in April, Gov. Lombardo’s letter to Gov. Newsom highlights the need for refineries, saying Nevada does not have an alternative supply to offset California’s production.

“It was too expensive to operate which means that there is less supply and it is the simple law of economics, supply and demand. Nevada is not going to get a lot of relief from California,” Klink said.

Some commuters have made the conscious decision to switch to a more renewable source of energy by purchasing an electric vehicle.

“Ultimately we enjoy renewable energy but at the same time just in my own hypothetical mind I was like fuel prices aren’t going to change as we go along because it is not a renewable source of energy,” said Las Vegas driver, Alexis Aramburo.

Klink says the U.S. does have some options on a national level that could temporarily ease the pain at the pump.

“The United States has a very large stockpile of fuel called the strategic petroleum reserve. By putting more fuel into the market it will duress prices but this is a temporary solution.”

Recently, some members of the Nevada GOP are calling on Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford to sue California over the refinery closures.