MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is declaring an energy emergency in the state due to deliveries of fuel being limited by the winter storm working its way across the Midwest.
The governor’s office says the dangerously-cold temperatures, accumulating and blowing snow across Wisconsin, and blizzard conditions in parts of the state have and will continue to make deliveries of liquid fuel for home heating by rail, truck, and barge difficult.
The state is also bracing for possible power outages due to strong winds that could leave people without heat as temperatures struggle to get above 0 degrees over the next day.
“Over the past days and weeks, Wisconsinites across the state have braved snow and ice storms, with more the next couple of days, combined with high winds and extremely cold temperatures. The health, welfare, and safety of our neighbors depend on access to fuel for home heating,” Gov. Evers said in a statement announcing his executive order. “Getting liquid fuel products moving now to those who need it and making it as easy as possible for utility crews to restore power, if needed, will help our folks stay safe.”
This is not the first time that Evers has declared an energy emergency. In the first few months of his tenure, a cold snap and delayed deliveries of propane caused another energy emergency, and later that year, a cold October and late corn harvest caused propane demand to jump. The most recent energy emergency came a year ago February.
The governor’s current order is in an effort to streamline energy delivery in the state, providing a 10-day waiver from federal and state requirements for those who provide emergency response energy supplies and allowing fuel suppliers to get caught up after weather delays more quickly, as well as allowing out-of-state utility restoration works to arrive more quickly. This includes waiving the federal work-hour limits for truckers carrying that fuel.
In those prior energy emergencies, Evers similarly waived the work-hour limit, but an energy emergency declaration also empowers him to lift weight restrictions on certain roads.
You can read the full order here.
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