NYC Mayor Imposes Gas Rationing

NewsBreakerNov 08 '12

Host @DavidBegnaud delivers breaking news and today's trending buzz in 45 seconds.  NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York City and Long Island will institute gas rationing starting Friday to help ease the demand and long lines at gas stations across the area. Drivers with license plates ending in an even number can buy only on even-numbered days. Drivers with license plates ending in an odd number can buy on odd-numbered days. Vanity plates with no numbers will be considered odd. Friday is an odd number day. Nassau and Suffolk plan to impose gas rationing beginning at 5:00 Friday morning. New York City will begin at 6:00 a.m. "Last week's storm hit the fuel network hard - and knocked out critical infrastructure needed to distribute gasoline," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Even as the region's petroleum infrastructure slowly returns to normal, the gasoline supply remains a real problem for thousands of New York drivers. Earlier today, I signed an emergency order to alternate the days that drivers can purchase gas, which is the best way to cut down the lines and help customers buy gas faster." The city and two counties have been struggling with lingering gas lines since Hurricane Sandy, while lines in Westchester and New Jersey have significantly reduced or disappeared all together Out of state plates will be subject to the same requirements. The requirement does not apply to filling of fuel cans, commercial vehicles, taxi or limousine fleets, or emergency fleets, nor does it apply to hand held gas cans. A partial failure of a terminal served by the Buckeye Pipeline, which pumps approximately 4.5 million gallons of gas per day into the New York City and Long Island area, occurred due to power failures late last night. While power was restored this morning, there was an interruption in the fuel supply chain to those regions. Fuel supply to the northern suburbs is largely unaffected by this terminal going off-line. FEDERAL AID Impacted residents in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut can apply for federal assistance. Affected residents must register with FEMA by phone or online to access that aid. To register by phone, residents can call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY line for people with speech or hearing disabilities is 1-800-462-7585. The line is open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days per week. To register online, applications may be completed atDisasterAssistance.gov. If residents have disaster assistance questions, they may call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file a complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey ) or 973-504-6200.