Connecticut: State delegation wants oil reserves opened

WASHINGTON


“The strain on the Northeast from the rising cost of home heating oil is real and needs a real response. Our constituents are hurting, and too many Connecticut families are faced with painful choices between food and heat. I hope the president will take a step to ease this pain by releasing additional reserves and funding,” said Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Connecticut Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Chris Murphy, John Larson and Joe Courtney also signed the letter to Bush.

There are more than 2 million barrels of oil sitting in the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve. With these sorts of resources on hand, it is more than possible for the White House to keep high prices from delivering a major blow to the area, the delegation said. The Northeast is particularly vulnerable to fuel shortages and price spikes during the winter. The Energy Information Administration projects that residential heating oil prices could average $3.23 per gallon this season. With half of
Connecticut’s households relying on oil to heat their homes, this would have a huge economic impact on the region, according to the delegation.

Connecticut Post