Environmental Protection Agency acting administrator Andrew Wheeler and Energy Secretary Rick Perry moved to temporarily ease fuel regulations for the Carolinas Tuesday evening, citing the “extreme and unusual” storm in store from Hurricane Florence.
EPA, in consultation with Perry, determined Tuesday night that the “circumstances exist” in both North Carolina and South Carolina for possible fuel supply disruptions, and ordered a temporary waiver of environmental standards for gasoline in order to ensure a steady supply.
The waiver will “help ensure that an adequate supply of gasoline is available in the affected areas until normal supply to the region can be restored,” the EPA said.
[Opinion: When bad weather has struck, natural gas has been completely reliable]
The waiver means that fuel providers can forgo special fuel treatments meant to cut smog in order to rush the fuel to where it is needed.
Wheeler and Perry sought fit to approve the waiver after receiving two emergency requests from North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican.
The waiver will remain in place through Sept. 15, which is the end of the summer fuel season.
EPA also waived additional gasoline blending requirements, allowing more renewable fuels like ethanol to be used in the fuel supply, effective through Oct. 1.
EPA and Perry determined that granting short-term fuel waivers “was consistent with the public interest,” EPA said.
The agencies indicated that they are also ready to issue additional waiver for other states if need be.
