FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VISCLOSKY CALLS FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF
Washington, DC - Congressman Pete Visclosky is working to stop the rising cost of gasoline. Visclosky initiated a bipartisan letter to President Clinton from 12 Members of Congress representing three states to urge the Administration to take decisive action in dealing with the soaring gas prices in Northwest Indiana and other parts of the Midwest. Also, Congressman Visclosky contacted various federal agencies that are investigating this crisis to ensure that Lake and Porter Counties are a part of any solution proposed by the Administration. "High prices at the pump have caused extreme economic hardships for the people of Lake and Porter Counties. I am worried about families, and seniors on fixed incomes. We should not have our mothers with children and seniors worrying if they can afford to drive to the doctor's office," Visclosky said. Petroleum industry officials have cited new requirements for reformulated gasoline (RFG) as a possible culprit for the soaring prices. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that the price difference should only be between $0.05 to $0.07 per gallon, not the $0.26 or more that is currently being reported across the Midwest. Furthermore, the price of conventional gasoline has skyrocketed in areas not required to use RFG. Urging the Administration to make this matter a top priority, Congressman Visclosky and his colleagues have requested that the EPA, the Department of Energy (DOE), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Department of Justice complete an investigation of escalating conventional and RFG gas prices throughout the Midwest. Further, if suppliers are found to have engaged in anti-competitive practices, the violators should be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. Visclosky continued, "We must get gas prices down, and it is absolutely imperative that the Administration look at this issue with the utmost gravity. The federal government must ensure that Indiana consumers are protected from possible price gouging or collusion." In concert with the release of the letter to President Clinton, Visclosky has sent a letter to the heads of the EPA, DOE, and FTC, to discuss the specific needs of the residents of Lake and Porter Counties. At a recent meeting with EPA Administrator Carol Browner and officials from DOE, and several subsequent briefings that staff has attended, Congressman Visclosky has grown increasingly alarmed by official statements that the areas to be studied are limited to parts of Illinois and Wisconsin. Lake and Porter Counties are also subject to the requirements of Phase II reformulated gasoline, yet they are not included in the FTC investigation into the actions of oil companies over the past several weeks. The study should include Northwest Indiana, and all agencies involved should acknowledge the problems that face the residents of Lake and Porter Counties. "Simply put, the failure to include Northwest Indiana in investigations currently being conducted by the Administration is wrong," Visclosky said. "I hope that the EPA, DOE, and FTC correct this inequity by including Lake and Porter Counties in these studies, recognizing the fact that this problem is as serious in Indiana as it is in other parts of the Midwest."
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