BP Refinery Shutdown Results in Emergency HOS Exemption – Security & Compliance
A sunset view of BP’s Whiting Refinery exterior of Chicago.
Picture: BP file photograph
The Federal Motor Provider Security Administration has issued a short-term hours-of-service exemption for the transport of gas and petroleum merchandise to sure states following the surprising shutdown of a BP refinery.
An Aug. 24 hearth on the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, led to a shutdown that impacts the availability of gasoline, diesel, and jet gas in Indiana and different close by states. It’s the largest refinery within the Midwest and the sixth largest within the nation.
On Aug. 26, FMCSA introduced a regional emergency and the HOS exemption, which applies to these transporting gasoline, diesel, jet gas and different refined petroleum merchandise to Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Motor carriers and drivers offering direct help to the emergency within the affected States in direct assist of reduction efforts associated to the shortages of gasoline, diesel, and jet gas as a result of hearth on the refinery are granted reduction from guidelines on most driving time.
Direct help doesn’t embrace routine business deliveries, FMCSA harassed, together with blended hundreds “with a nominal amount of qualifying emergency reduction added to acquire the advantages of this emergency declaration.”
Michigan’s governor additionally signed the same statewide vitality emergency order Saturday.
The exemption will stay in impact till the tip of the or Sept. 10, whichever is earlier. FMCSA could take motion to increase, modify or terminate the Emergency Declaration if circumstances warrant.
In response to Reuters, BP could start a phased restart of the refinery this week after restoring electrical and cooling water methods.
