Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Ida, U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) recently urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Energy Department to immediately relieve fuel supply shortages in Louisiana and other areas of the Gulf Coast.
“Recorded wind speeds reached nearly Category five status, and storm surge devastated our coastal communities,” Rep. Graves wrote in a letter sent to both U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “Resulting fuel shortages exist now and are likely to persist.”
Rep. Graves pointed out that there are currently many challenges contributing to fuel shortages, including fallen transmission lines across the Mississippi River that are blocking maritime access to many refineries, which are also unable to produce due to the lack of electricity.
Additionally, he wrote, there are potential shortages of nitrogen and other resources required for refining; service stations lack electricity to power their gas pumps; and a supply disruption due to the shutdown of upstream production facilities.
“Our state is currently experiencing widespread electricity outages, inoperable cellular networks, severed internet connections, disabled water and sewer systems, and fuel shortages that have reached critical levels,” Rep. Graves wrote. “The people of Louisiana are literally in the dark without electricity, or they are relying on scarce fuel supplies to power backup generators.”
The congressman urged the EPA and the Energy Department to consider authorizing the release of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and to temporarily provide refiners relief from the Renewable Identification Number required by the Renewable Fuel Standard.