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“With prices rocketing toward $5 a gallon, I am so glad the General Assembly passed key parts of my bill to offer motorists and homeowners relief from rising fuel and energy costs,” Rep. Tong said. However, the General Assembly did not take up another component of the Tong-Blumenthal bill, which would have required Big Oil to turn over gasoline price and volume data. As part of Rep. Tong’s fight against the zone pricing of gasoline, he proposed SB 530 (and LCO # 6346) to force major oil companies to turn over price/volume data it has fought hard to conceal. The bill stemmed from a 2007 incident where three Quinnipiac University professors were hired by major oil companies to conduct a study which, they claim, showed that a ban on gasoline zone pricing would not lower prices. During an examination of one of the professors during an Energy Committee public hearing, Rep. Tong asked to see their data. The professors refused; claiming that they were contractually precluded from sharing the data, and then later said they had destroyed the data. “Big Oil says their prices are fair and competitive,” said Rep. Tong. “I say prove it, back it up. If they have nothing to hide, they should have no problem showing us the data.” “I’m glad we took action today, but I’ll keep fighting to get Big Oil’s price and volume data,” said Tong. “That’s the best way for us to show our colleagues and the public what the Attorney General and I already know -- Big Oil’s prices are unfair and anticompetitive, and the zone pricing of gasoline is wrong and probably illegal.” The Tong-Blumenthal gas price relief legislation passed overwhelmingly in both chambers, and now move to the governor for approval. © Copyright by StamfordPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of StamfordPlus.com, Stamford Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: Gas price investigation continues with subpoenas to wholesalers - Sep 19, 2008 - 1:26 PM The new Gurdon and Kathy Wattles Marine Mammal Observatory unveiled - Sep 19, 2008 - 12:36 PM Governor Rell: Added LIHEAP funds ‘more than welcome’ – but still more required - Sep 17, 2008 - 1:26 PM ARI of Connecticut receives accreditation from CARF - Sep 16, 2008 - 3:00 PM Governor Rell: Consumer Protection probing gas price spikes at Cumberland Farms, other retailers - Sep 16, 2008 - 2:55 PM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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