Pingree Welcomes Decision to Release Oil from Petroleum Reserves

Press Release

Congresswoman wrote to Obama this spring asking for release to ease pressure of fuel prices

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree welcomed the announcement by the Obama Administration that 30 million barrels of oil will be released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to ease pressure on fuel prices.

"Working American families continue to struggle with high fuel prices and they need some help, they need some relief," Pingree said. "The last three Presidents have all released oil and in each case prices went down and I'm hopeful that today's announcement will have a similar effect."

Pingree wrote to President Obama in March urging him to release oil from the SPR in the wake of rising energy prices and unrest in the Middle East. The Administration announced today they are releasing 30 million barrels of oil, matched by another 30 million barrels of reserves being released by other countries.

Pingree also says while immediate relief for families is important, American needs a long-term solution to our energy problems.

"We need to act now to try and bring some relief to families who are struggling to make ends meet, but we also have to work to create an American-made solution to our long-term energy problems. That means getting off imported oil and switching to new sources of renewable energy that we generate here at home," she said.

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