House Republican Press Release

September 6, 2005

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Reps DelGobbo, Williams Call for Emergency Response to CT Energy Crisis

With gasoline prices at over $3 per gallon and rising in the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, state Representatives Kevin M. DelGobbo, R-70th District, and Sean Williams, R-68th District, today called for a variety of responses to prevent price gouging at the retail level and provide as much relief as possible to Connecticut residents.  

“First and foremost we need to do whatever is necessary to prevent a potentially disastrous impact on our state’s economy and on the daily lives of our people,” Representatives DelGobbo and Williams said. “One step we can take to provide timely relief to consumers is to suspend the state’s gasoline tax, which would result in a 38 cents per gallon saving to motorists. We also support suspending any special gasoline formulations mandated by the state, which would enable refineries to speed up deliveries of gasoline to Connecticut and ensure supplies of gasoline adequate to meet the needs of our citizens. Lastly, we strongly support the immediate suspension of zone pricing in Connecticut.”

Representative DelGobbo, the House Ranking Member on the General Assembly’s Energy and Technology Committee, attended a briefing this afternoon with energy experts from the oil industry, gasoline retailers, Department of Environmental Protection officials and utility company representatives to get the most up to date information available on conditions in the Connecticut marketplace. Representative Williams also serves on the Energy and Technology Committee

“One of the indications we’ve gotten so far is that, based on early indications gleaned from the investigation by the State Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Consumer Protection, is that there does not appear to be price gouging at the retail level. Instead, retailers are passing on the increases imposed on them by wholesalers, the oil industry, and commodity traders,” Representatives DelGobbo and Williams said.

“We’re going to be very aggressive in our efforts to prevent price gouging at the retail levels in Connecticut and we will vigorously encourage the federal government to investigate the oil companies to determine whether there have been windfall profits,” Representatives DelGobbo and Williams said.

“The Information we received today is that the supply and price situation should stabilize after the Labor Day weekend. We will continue to monitor this very serious situation and do whatever we can to provide relief to the people of Connecticut,” Representatives DelGobbo and Williams said.