Governor Christie Takes Action to Ease Gas Station Waits with Move to Odd-Even Rationing for Gasoline Purchases in 12 New Jersey Counties
Attorney General Pledges Vigorous Enforcement to Ensure Compliance and Effectiveness of Policy
 
For Immediate Release                                                                        Contact: Michael Drewniak
Friday, November 2, 2012                                                                                      Kevin Roberts
                                                                                                                             609-777-2600
 
Trenton, NJ – Tonight, Governor Chris Christie took action to prevent a fuel shortage and ease the problem of extended wait times and lines at gas stations by signing Executive Order 108, declaring a limited state of energy emergency with regard to the supply of motor fuel and implementing odd-even rationing for gasoline purchases in 12 New Jersey counties.  Odd-even fuel sales will take effect in the following counties at noon on November 3, 2012: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren.
 
"As New Jerseyans continue the long process of recovering from Hurricane Sandy, it's imperative that our families have secure, reliable access to essential supplies like fuel. Right now, the impact of the storm, particularly the continuance of widespread power outages, has created the disorderly sale of gas – including long lines, out of operation stations, and stations facing shortages,” said Governor Christie. "This system will ease the strain on those gas stations still operating, while we work to bring more online for the public to access fuel, in a manner that is fair, easy to understand, and less stressful.”  
Once in effect, all retail dealers of motor fuel will be required to only sell motor fuel for use in a passenger automobile bearing license plates, the last number of which is an even number, on even numbered days of each month. Likewise sales will only be permitted to passenger automobiles bearing license plates ending in odd numbers on odd numbered days of the month.  Specialized plates – or those not displaying a number – will be considered odd numbered plates.
Governor Christie and Attorney General Jeff Chiesa pledged to aggressively and vigorously enforce the order to ensure compliance and the effectiveness of the policy in the affected counties.
"The orderly and reliable sale of gas to our residents is essential to maintaining a steady and reliable source of power for both transportation and the maintenance of essential services at home.  With the challenges we face in the storm’s aftermath, we will be vigilant in enforcing this odd-even system, as we ease the stresses on the system," said Attorney General Jeffery S. Chiesa. "I encourage all New Jerseyans to abide by this system – motorists and retail dealers alike – to ease wait times and improve access for everyone.  Those who choose to disregard this order will be prosecuted to the fullest extent permitted under the Governor’s state of emergency authority."
These sales provision will remain in effect for as long as the Governor’s limited declared state of energy emergency is in effect in those 12 counties.
A PDF copy of Executive Order 108 can be found as an attachment to this release.