The U.S. urged deregulation of most oil pipelines.

The Justice Department’s antitrust division said that tariffs charged by most of the nation’s interstate oil pipelines, regulated since 1906, should be left to market forces and that consumers would not be hurt by such an action. Energy experts say pipeline charges normally account for less than 1 cent of the cost of a gallon of gasoline. Excluded from deregulation, the government said, should be the 800-mile Alaska oil pipeline and at least five others serving concentrated markets, including one from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Legislation to deregulate the industry is expected.