States suspend regulations under emergency declarations

With Hurricane Idalia making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina have each enacted emergency declarations.

Florida, where the storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, issued its state of emergency on Monday, Aug. 28.

Damaging winds, flooding, storm surge and isolated tornadoes are among the severe weather forecast to accompany this storm.

More than 260,000 customers in Florida and nearly 40,000 in Georgia were without electricity as of the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 30.

7:45 AM EDT update: Extremely dangerous Category 3 Hurricane #Idalia makes landfall in the Florida Big Bend. Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 125 mph. Catastrophic storm surge and damaging winds ongoing. pic.twitter.com/umMdj8dD5d

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 30, 2023

Some particulars of each state’s order are below.

Georgia emergency

South central parts of the state as well as southeast coastal Georgia were within the projected path of the hurricane, according to the Georgia emergency issued Tuesday, Aug. 29.

To ensure the uninterrupted supply of goods and services necessary to respond to this emergency, hours of service regulations limiting commercial drivers are suspended for 30 days or until emergency conditions cease.

In addition, price gouging of diesel fuel and other petroleum products is prohibited under this order.

Kentucky emergency

Any commercial vehicle providing power restoration and/or debris removal in the affected area is granted relief from registration, hours of service and weigh-station stoppage requirements.

This relief is contingent upon the following conditions:

• All other safety requirements shall remain in full force and effect.
• Any driver operating under the authority of this order shall have a copy of it in the cab of the vehicle.

Kentucky’s emergency is set to expire Sept. 20 and applies to local country roads, state roads and interstate roads.

North Carolina emergency

Commercial drivers transporting essential fuels, food, medical supplies and feed for livestock are granted relief from maximum hours of service requirements through Sept. 27.

Any interruption in the delivery of those commodities threatens the public welfare, said the declaration.

The suspension does not permit the gross weight of any vehicle or combination to exceed the safe load-carrying capacity established by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. LL

More Land Line news by state.