(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and a bipartisan group of six other governors from Midwestern states today sent a letter to President Obama urging him to take action to address the shortage of propane supply and subsequent price increases.
The governors who signed the letter are: Gov. Terry E. Branstad (R-Iowa), Gov. Sam Brownback (R- Kan.), Gov. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.), Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio), Gov. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) Gov. Rick Snyder (R-Mich.) and Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.).
The governors write, "As governors of Midwestern states impacted by the recent extreme cold temperatures, we request your immediate assistance to address the current propane supply shortage and subsequent price increases. The significantly lower-than-average temperatures that continue to hit our region are resulting in greater demand for already strained propane supplies.
"We would encourage your entire Administration, including the U.S. Department of Energy, the USDOT, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and any other relevant Federal agencies to take every possible action to help increase propane supplies through every means of transport. We encourage you to explore regulatory waivers aimed at increasing the supply of propane in our states, including an extension of the hours of service waiver and temporarily waiving weight limits on the interstate highway system. Such actions would continue to help fill critical gaps between supply and demand. We would also encourage the SBA to ease loan requirements that can help entities within our communities respond to and recover from this propane shortage."
For more information, please visit www.Governor.Iowa.gov/Propane.
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