New York City Implementing Temporary Gasoline Management Plan

Andrew J Lanza

November 8, 2012

Second storm exacerbated fuel supply chain disruption

Governor Andrew Cuomo released the following statement on Nassau County, Suffolk County, and New York City implementing plans to reduce gas lines in the region:

"Due to additional fuel supply disruptions caused by the Nor'Easter which hit the region last night, Nassau and Suffolk Counties and the City of New York have decided to implement temporary fuel management measures to reduce lines at retail gasoline stations. The plans are regionally synchronized and all will have the same rules. The plans will impose odd-even rules on the purchase of gasoline for non-commercial vehicles and have been designed in coordination. Westchester, Rockland, and Orange will not have fuel management measures at this time. The state will continue to coordinate among local governments, as well as the federal government, to ensure that the any fuel management measures are planned and implemented in conjunction with the Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Energy and the petroleum industry."

Background information:

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.

Under the plans adopted by the counties and the city, odd-even fuel sales will take effect in Nassau, Suffolk, and the five boroughs of New York City at 5:00am tomorrow morning (November 9th). The plan will require gas stations to only sell fuel to drivers with vehicles bearing license plates that correlate in odd-even terms with the day of the month. Drivers with license plates ending in an even number will be able to buy fuel on only even numbered days of each month and drivers with license plates ending in an odd number will be able to buy fuel on only odd numbered days of each month. License plates not displaying a number, such as vanity plates, will be considered odd numbered plates. 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.

The duration of the fuel management plan will be determined by the counties and the City in coordination with New York State.

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