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DEP secretary leads hurricane workshop
State working with petroleum companies to maintain supplies during storm events
Article published on Wednesday, June 7, 2006 |
TAMPA - Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Colleen M. Castille met with leaders of the petroleum industry on Tuesday to discuss fuel preparedness plans for the 2006 hurricane season.
Representatives from British Petroleum, Shell Oil, Chevron, Exxon-Mobile, Hess, Citgo, Maritrans, the Florida Petroleum Council and the Florida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association renewed their commitment to work with the State to ensure adequate supplies of fuel are available in the event of a storm.
"By planning ahead, working together and using fuel supplies wisely, we can better prepare communities for the storm season," said Secretary Castille. "Establishing a thoughtful process between fuel companies and the State will also help restore reserves quickly in the event a hurricane or tropical storm disrupts supply."
Florida's ports, including Tampa and Miami, are expected to maintain a fuel capacity to supply the extra petroleum needed during a major storm. On a normal day, Florida consumes approximately 24 million gallons of gasoline. In a storm situation demand can double as residents and visitors fill their tanks and evacuate.
During a hurricane emergency, fuel is replenished based on regional priorities. Fuel is reserved first for emergency crews and first responders. Supplies are then replenished at retail gas stations with available power along major transportation corridors and in metro areas to support evacuees returning to areas affected by the storm. During hurricane season, the Florida Energy Office coordinates fuel supply and priority delivery requests by local governments, law enforcement and healthcare facilities throughout the state.
"Florida has worked diligently with the petroleum industry to learn from the challenges presented during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons," said DEP Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs and Energy Mike Sole. "Our experiences during eight hurricanes and four tropical storms in 14 months underscored the importance of energy to our daily lives."
During a storm event, consumers are encouraged to be prudent with their gas consumption and adopt the following practices to conserve supplies:
* Do not make unnecessary trips. Reduce non-essential travel by combining trips.
* Refrain from topping off tanks daily - a full tank should last a week with average daily mileage.
* If asked to evacuate, select a safe destination closer to home to minimize travel.
* Conserve by carpooling or using public transportation.
* Do not fuel unnecessary equipment like boats, RVs or portable containers.
Florida's anticipated growth in energy consumption, together with its experiences during the unprecedented storm seasons of 2004 and 2005, underscore the state's vulnerability to interruptions in fuel production, supply and delivery. In response, Governor Jeb Bush this year spearheaded the 2006 Florida Energy Act - a four-year, $100 million plan to diversify the state's fuel supply and promote energy conservation and efficiency. As the first comprehensive step toward a diverse, reliable and secure energy future, the Act reduces regulatory barriers to spur energy diversity and provides rebates, grants and tax incentives to stimulate the development of alternative fuel technologies.
For more information on disaster preparedness, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org.
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Article published on Wednesday, June 7, 2006
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