DeSantis says more temporary fuel sites to open as drivers face gas lines after Milton
Speaking at a press conference Saturday at a temporary fuel site in Bradenton, Gov. Ron DeSantis said more full-service temporary fuel depots would open Sunday as early as 7 a.m. in Port Charlotte and Pinellas, Hillsborough and Sarasota counties.
“We’ve taken on a fuel mission,” DeSantis said Saturday afternoon. “We have the fuel, it’s en route.”
DeSantis said with the influx of tankers being escorted south by Florida Highway Patrol, he believes many residents in Southwest Florida will start to see things stabilize soon. Long lines at gas stations were the norm Saturday in Manatee County, with many stations lacking power for pumping gas.
“We do have a lot of fuel flowing in the normal private sector. We’re helping with fuel escorts to be able to get those to the gas station as quickly as possible,” DeSantis said. “So, I think you’re going to continue to see improvements with that.”
As electricity restoration efforts continue, DeSantis said that will play a key factor in making gas readily available,
While DeSantis said there are still 1.4 million people in Florida without power, the governor said that’s a substantial improvement from the 2.6 million initially without power following Milton’s landfall on Wednesday night, slamming into Siesta Key.
READ MORE: Which Florida counties are still without power after Hurricane Milton? Take a look
DeSantis said at a news conference Friday that many gas stations have fuel but are without power.
As of 2:30 p.m. Saturday, about 39%, or about 100,000 customers in Manatee County, remained without power, according to Find Energy. Around 80% of Manatee County was without power Thursday after Milton, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.
Working with officials to reopen SeaPort Manatee, which handles about 400 million gallons of gasoline annually, according to the Florida Ports Council, is also a priority for DeSantis.
Incentives for debris cleanup
DeSantis also announced the approval of 100% federal reimbursements for debris cleanup for 90 days following the storm. The governor said he hoped this would incentivize local governments to work with debris contractors for rapid debris removal.
“Let’s get this debris moving,” DeSantis said. “If you wait and you take six months, you’re not going to get the reimbursement. So we’re very much urging you to take advantage of that. That is not the norm in these storms to be able to get 100% debris reimbursement for 90 days.”
