FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, Sept. 16, 2016

CONTACT: Dean Flener

OFFICE: 615-741-0430

Gov. Haslam Issues Waiver to Avoid Petroleum

Supply Disruptions in Tennessee
Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam issued Executive Order #56 today waiving federal
hours of service requirements for petroleum transporters to prevent any fuel supply disruptions for
Tennesseans from the Colonial pipeline leak in Shelby County, Ala.
This is a precautionary measure as we are not currently seeing any widespread unavailability of
petroleum in Tennessee, Haslam said. We urge Tennesseans to maintain their normal fuel
purchasing and driving patterns to help prevent any potential impacts on our fuel supply while the
pipeline undergoes repairs.
Gov. Haslams executive order only relates to fuel transportation for this state of emergency and
waives only the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations 49 Code of Federal Regulations,
Sections 390 and 395 rules related to hours-of-service suspensions, and pipeline repair and fuel
transportation.
The emergency declaration will allow drivers to work longer hours to ensure petroleum is available
to convenience stores, fuel retailers, and fuel wholesalers in Tennessee.
The Tennessee departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Insurance, Environment and
Conservation, Safety and Homeland Security, Transportation, the Tennessee Emergency
Management Agency, and private sector energy partners are monitoring the petroleum supply
issue and collaborating to alleviate and address any petroleum disruptions in Tennessee.
On Wed., Sept. 14, 2016, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation requested,
and received, a fuel blend waiver from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), covering five
counties in Middle Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture then issued its own
emergency waiver for fuel quality standards consistent with the EPAs.
Advice for Consumers
Consumers should maintain their normal fuel purchasing and driving patterns to avoid straining
the supply of gasoline.
Tennessees price gouging laws make it unlawful for individuals and businesses to charge
unreasonable prices for essential goods and services including gasoline, food, ice, fuel, generators,
lodging, storage space, and other necessities in direct response to a disaster regardless of whether
TEMA 3041 Sidco Drive Nashville, TN 37204
Tel: 615-741-0430 www.tnema.org

that emergency occurred in Tennessee or elsewhere. The price gouging law makes it unlawful to
charge a price that is grossly in excess of the price charged prior to the emergency.
This price gouging act is triggered when a disaster is declared by the state or by the federal
government.
Penalties for violations of the price gouging act are up to $1,000 per violation. Additionally, the
Tennessee Attorney General in conjunction with TDCIs Division of Consumer Affairs can request
that a court issue injunctions and order civil penalties of up to $1,000 for each violation. The state
can also seek refunds for consumers.
If you have a problem with a business, you can file a complaint at www.tn.gov/consumer or call tollfree 1-800-342-8385. Consumer Affairs has a price gouging online complaint form at:
http://tn.gov/commerce/article/consumer-price-gouging-complaint.

About the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency: TEMAs mission is to coordinate

preparedness, response and recovery from man-made, natural and technological hazards in a
professional and efficient manner in concert with our stakeholders. Follow TEMA on
Facebook, TNDisasterInfo, on Twitter, @T_E_M_A, and at www.tnema.org.

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TEMA 3041 Sidco Drive Nashville, TN 37204

Tel: 615-741-0430 www.tnema.org