(Connecticut) State delegation wants oil reserves opened

[phantom power]

From the "bigger stone head" files:

In a letter to President Bush, members of Connecticut's congressional delegation asked him to release some of the 2 million barrels of heating oil that the federal government holds in reserve in the Northeast to help drive prices down. They also requested that he pump additional "contingency funds" into the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

"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.

(...)

Santa said that there is no shortage of home heating oil. The price has been driven up by speculation as crude oil prices reach record levels. He estimated that the delivered cost of heating oil ranged between $3.50 and $3.65 a gallon in the Bridgeport area but hoped that it would begin to drop soon.

"We're hopeful that we've hit the highest and will be heading down," he said.

http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_7907549

Keep hoping, fellas.