EPA eases fuel delivery rules to address New Jersey supply shortage

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waived restrictions Tuesday that enable biofuel deliveries to New Jersey to relieve a gasoline supply shortage.

New Jersey’s Democratic Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez on Monday asked EPA to allow fuel shipments to New Jersey terminals not normally permitted to handle biofuel. EPA’s decision to honor that request will allow 17.6 million gallons of fuel to enter New Jersey.

“We need to get fuel flowing into New Jersey, and the EPA’s decision to allow fuel to be rerouted to New Jersey is an important step toward getting our state moving again. The fuel shortage and power outages at gas stations are holding our state back from a full recovery. We will continue working to do everything possible to get our first responders and all New Jerseyans moving again,” the senators said in a statement Tuesday.

Superstorm Sandy battered the state’s fuel terminals, causing disruptions in the gasoline distribution system. In turn, gas stations have begun running out of fuel, inhibiting a recovery effort.

To address that shortage, EPA last week eased clean diesel fuel rules in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and in the New York City area. That temporary exemption enabled certain vehicles to run on home heating oil for emergency response efforts.