YORKTOWN HEIGHTS – Congressman John Hall of Dover Plains Monday added his voice to those who are urging President Bush to put a temporary halt to adding to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a means of lowering gasoline prices.

Standing at a gas station in Yorktown Heights, Hall said putting the brakes on the reserve for now would temporarily take the heat off the consumer, who is facing daily gasoline price hikes.

“Suspending deliveries (to the SPR) would in effect put 70,000 barrels of oil back on the market every day as if somebody had suddenly started pumping 70,000 barrels of oil extra each day and that would alleviate the pressure on prices,” he said.

Hall was one of 94 House members to write to the President last week asking him to suspend filling the reserve.

Hall said it is not a long-term solution, but would help. Long term, alternate energy sources need to be developed and people need to conserve, he said.