By HEIDI CENAC
Anderson Independent-Mail
September 1, 2005

Gov. Mark Sanford urged residents Thursday to limit gas purchases to immediate needs, and that mentality spread quickly to local officials.

Hurricane Katrina interrupted Upstate fuel supplies and sent residents into a gas-buying panic Wednesday, as cars lined up at the pump and prices skyrocketed well above $3 in a matter of hours.

Southeast gas suppliers Colonial Pipeline Co. and Plantation Pipe Line Co. said would be pumping through their lines again before this weekend, Mr. Sanford’s office said.

In spite of that reassuring news, the city of Anderson led Upstate local governments in implementing conservation measures.
Anderson City Manager John Moore was preparing a plan to cut fuel consumption in half because of potential shortages and high gas prices.

The city had refilled its 12,000-gallon gasoline and diesel tanks Monday but still faced difficulties finding fuel, Mr. Moore said. The city paid $2.83 a gallon even with the 20-cent reduction under state contract.

Halving consumption would keep the city’s fleets of police cars, garbage trucks and vehicles moving for 60 days.

"Sure by then the New Orleans area would be back in the works," Mr. Moore said. "We don’t want to pick up the phone and find out it will be 30 days before we can get some (fuel)."

If gas shortages continue, temporary cutbacks on mowing or curbside tree limb pick-up are possible, Public Works director Tony Norris said.

The city fire department is using vehicles in emergencies only, Chief Jack Abraham said.

"If New Orleans has six to seven feet of water in their streets, surely residents won’t complain about having their limbs a little longer," Mr. Moore said.

Oconee County Administrator Ron Rabun is discussing a four-day work week with 10-hour work days, suspending mowing except where public safety would be compromised, creating an emergency fuel stockpile and reducing travel to seminars, conferences and other meetings.

"Because fuel is such an important component to our everyday service delivery missions, we are formulating strategies to deal with the situation," Mr. Rabun said.

Anderson Independent-Mail reporter David Williams contributed to this report.

Heidi Cenac can be reached at (800) 859-6397, Ext. 324, or by e-mail at mailto:cenache@IndependentMail.com.

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