Two Republican congressmen have introduced legislation they said would expedite propane deliveries during the current shortage by providing hours-of-service flexibility to truckers hauling the gas.
Reps. Tom Petri (R-Wis.), chairman of the House highways and transit subcommittee, and Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) introduced their bill Feb. 25.
The Home Heating Emergency Assistance Through Transportation Act of 2014, known as HHEATT, would extend exemptions from the U.S. Department of Transportation to allow tank truck operators hauling propane to drive beyond the current hours-of-service limits through May 31.
Exemptions granted by DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are allowed to last for only 30 days at a time, the congressmen said.
“This extremely cold winter is expected to continue, possibly threatening the lives and livelihoods of those with homes, farms and businesses that depend on heat from propane and other home-heating fuels,” Shuster said in a statement.
“This important legislation provides certainty for suppliers and will expedite the ability for propane to reach homes that are running low or have already run out,” Petri said in a statement issued by his office.
