Virginia has sent state personnel and resources to Texas and Louisana to help with response and recovery from Ike.
The state is also taking action at home, where gas supplies and concerns of price gouging have surfaced since before Ike made landfall.
Governor Kaine has issued a waiver that will immediately allow for the distribution of gasoline blends that normally wouldn't be allowed until October first. The move will provide access to available gas supplies.
The state has also issued waivers to make it easier for gasoline to be transported from suppliers to retailers, without interruption. The Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is making sure adequate supplies are available.
Governor Kaine also announced Wednesday that the number of gas-gouging complaints has gone up since Monday. At the start of the week, there were 1,300 complaints to The Office of Consumer Affairs. That number has risen to more than 2,000.
The state had about a dozen inspectors out in the field statewide investigating those complaints on Monday. As of Wednesday, September 17th, the governor says there are now 30. If the complaints are credible, they'll be handed over to the Attorney General's office for prosecution. There's no timetable for when the investigations will be wrapped up.
The penalty for violating the anti-price gouging act carries a fine of up to $2,500 per violation.
Governor Kaine says, "It is intolerable that anyone would take advantage of consumers in this situation, and we will aggressively pursue unscrupulous operators charging excessive prices."
The governor asks Virginians to go about their normal routine for refueling their vehicles, and to conserve fuel whenever possible.
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