New York State to Set up Fuel Reserve in November

A strategic fuel reserve at six locations in upstate New York is expected to be operational in November to ensure gasoline and diesel fuel are available to emergency responders in the event of an emergencies like 2012's Hurricane Sandy.

Approximately 2.5 million gallons (9.5 million liters) of gasoline and ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) will be kept in the reserve in terminals in Rensselaer, Brewerton, Rochester, Marcy, Vestal and Buffalo, Governor Andrew Cuomo's office said in a release.

Sandy battered the Northeastern coast at the end of October 2012, destroying homes and buildings, closing refineries and leaving motorists without fuel and exposing vulnerabilities in the fuel distribution network.

The reserve will be administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority using $10 million in funding provided by the New York Power Authority.

The fuel will be owned by New York State, and the reserves are managed by Buckeye Terminals, LLC.

(Reporting by Robert Gibbons; Editing by Marguerita Choy)