THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release December 30, 2000
December 30, 2000
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
COMMANDANT OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
SUBJECT: Keeping the Heating Fuel Distribution System Open
When inclement weather strikes and the demand for heating fuel rises, the
distribution system through which fuel is delivered is often placed at
great strain. Freezing harbors delay the delivery of critical fuel
supplies, and the demand for heating fuel deliveries rises, increasing
workload of drivers who deliver fuel to homes and businesses. Last winter,
for example, critical deliveries of heating oil were delayed as harbors
froze and barges were unable to reach their docks.
In order to minimize the likelihood of bottlenecks in the heating fuel
distribution system, I direct the Secretaries of Energy and Transportation
to work together and take all reasonable measures to keep the harbors open
and the delivery trucks on the roads. If shipping channels freeze, the
Coast Guard shall be prepared to keep them open to the extent possible.
The Department of Trans-por-tation shall inform State and local governments
and private companies as appropriate about the criteria and procedures for
obtaining waivers from hours of service regulations in order to increase
trucking capacity for emergency fuel deliveries and shall respond to such
requests as quickly as possible.
Finally, the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Emergencies shall
coordinate closely with the Department of Transportation's Emergency
Transportation Representative to address any other transportation problems
as they arise in order to keep heating fuel moving through the distribution
system to the consumer.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
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