The following is being distributed at the request of the Petroleum Products Pricing Commission:

Petroleum Pricing Commissioner, George Saunders, and Research Director, David Toms, will be traveling to Saint John, New Brunswick on Sunday, May 12 to attend the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Energy Forum on Energy of the 21st Century. One of the major themes of the forum focuses on issues of regulation and pricing in the energy sector. The conference concludes on Wednesday, May 15.

This conference also offers us an opportunity to discuss the work of the commission with senior officials of other provinces as well as representatives of New England states. In addition, the Commissioner and Research Director will have an opportunity to meet with representatives of the petroleum industry to discuss the concerns and issues respecting regulations of prices.

On Friday of last week, the state of Hawaii passed legislation to regulate gasoline prices, becoming the first state in the United States to adopt such measures. The Petroleum Products Pricing Commission has been in touch with the Governor of Hawaii and is providing information and technical assistance to them as they prepare for implementation of the legislation.

Media contact: George Saunders (709) 489 8877.

2002 05 08                           2:50 p.m.