For Immediate Release

June 20, 2006

Washington, DC - Congressman Gene Green (D-TX) offered an amendment to H.R. 5611, the Fuel Consumption Education Act today during the Energy and Commerce Committee mark-up, to create a public-private partnership between the gasoline industry, states and local governments to find solutions on how to better supply fuel for emergency evacuations.  The amendment was adopted by the Energy and Commerce Committee.

 

The partnership described by Congressman Green would have an advisory board with representatives from DOE, the refining industry, the gasoline marketing industry, state government, and local government.

 

“This would establish lines of communication to better serve the population during a national emergency,” said Congressman Gene Green.  “By coming up with the best practices for supplying fuel during emergency evacuations, they would be better able to educate refiners, marketers, and state and local officials around the nation on how to do it.”

 

The amendment by Congressman Gene Green was introduced due to the inadequate fuel supplies during last year’s Hurricane Rita evacuation in Houston.

 

"Hurricane Rita caused millions of people to evacuate in the Southeast Texas region and the Houston area.  People ran out of gas on Interstate-45 and other highways during the 98 degree Texas heat, and we lost several people to heart attacks as a result,” continued Congressman Gene Green.  “Evacuation planners and the gasoline refining and marketing industries were doing everything they could at the time, but clearly we need to do better next time.”

 

 

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