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Subscribe to RSSLines are long and open gas stations are few and far between in New York and New Jersey, as drivers wait to fill up their tanks. NBC's Katy Tur reports.
Justin Lane / EPA
National Guard troops dispense gasoline in Queens on Saturday.
The gasoline shortage in the New York City area should be over in "a couple more days," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Saturday, urging New Yorkers to be patient even as officials promised free gas only to then add this caveat: first responders first, then the public can line up.
Electrical power and deliveries are coming back online, Bloomberg said at a press conference, but even so "it may take a few more days before you see this additional supply."
Earlier Saturday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that "fuel is on the way" with the Department of Defense deploying five mobile fuel stations to New York City and Long Island, albeit with a 10 gallon limit.
"The good news," Cuomo said of the promised 12 million gallons, "is it's going to be free."
At least 1,000 drivers queued up at one site -- the Freeport Armory in Long Island -- only to be told the gasoline would not arrive for at least eight hours more, one driver said.
"There's just so many people getting very frustrated. People don't know what to do,'' said Lauren Popkoff, a teacher who had been in line for four hours.
The mobile station that opened in Queens was also swamped, NBCNewYork.com reported, with a line of cars stretching 20 blocks.
But the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs later issued an advisory asking the public to stay away from the mobile stations until more fuel is released.
National Guard Col. Richard Goldenberg said Saturday afternoon that people who were already at the distribution sites would not be turned away.
Cuomo added that the reopening of New York Harbor has provided 8 million gallons of fuel and another 28 million will be delivered over the next two days.
Tempers flared as people camped out all night, waiting for their turn at the pump in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
A third of the stations in New York City were closed Saturday due to power outages or lack of fuel -- a significant improvement from Friday when two thirds were closed.
When word of free gas spread Saturday, people rushed to the mobile stations.
"I left my coffee on the table and ran out," said Tatiana Gomez of Staten Island, who heard about it on the news while having breakfast.
Her's was the sixth car in line but she still had to wait 2 1/2 hours for the delivery to arrive.
National Guardsmen walked through the crowd, handing out water to those waiting.
"I think since 9/11 we've pulled together as people," Robert Costantino said while in line. "Now, when there's a crisis, we pull together."
Long lines also continued at regular gas stations.
"It's pandemonium out here," said Chris Damon, who was waiting among hundreds, many honking their horns, at a Brooklyn station. "I feel like a victim of Hurricane Katrina. I never thought it could happen here in New York, but it's happened."
Desperate drivers continued to flood north to Connecticut in hopes of finding fuel. Gas lines snaked down surburban side streets as state troopers and local police maintained order and directed the traffic choking U.S. Route 1 , the main artery that runs parallel to Interstate 95 along the coast from New York city to Boston. The backups were mostly confined to stations in Greenwich and Stamford, the first locations across the state line. Gas stations further up the line were operating with little or not waiting.
The availability of fuel north of the city resulted largely because Connecticut dodged two major factors that crimped the flow of gasoline in New York and New Jersey. Many stations in New York City and New Jersey were without power and unable to pump gas.
The closure of New York Harbor – to clear dangerous debris and check navigation buoys – delayed some tanker shipments. Most coastal Connecticut stations, by contrast, had power restored by Saturday and tanker deliveries to coastal Long Island sound gasoline terminals in Bridgeport and New Haven were largely uninterrupted.
Tom Kloza, chief analyst at the Oil Price Information Service, told The Associated Press that drivers seem to fear that stations will be out of gas for a week or more.
"There are some people who need it, but there are a lot of people who are panicking," Kloza said. "There's plenty of fuel. This will be over in days."
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Superstorm Sandy made landfall Monday evening on a destructive and deadly path across the Northeast.
In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie on Friday ordered gas rationing in 12 counties to begin on Saturday under an "odd-even" system in which motorists with license plates ending in odd numbers would be able to buy gas on odd-numbered days.
Christie said Saturday that he hoped the restrictions would only last "a few days."
This article includes reporting by NBC News' John Schoen, Reuters and The Associated Press.
More content from NBCNews.com:
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- Sandy death toll in US rises to 109
- Near-freezing cold, potential nor'easter add to misery
- NYC Marathon canceled
- New York Harbor reopens to offer fuel supply
- How to avoid post-storm insurance and repair scams
- Your Sandy photos: Show us the heroes in your life
- Sandy's aftermath: How you can help
- Full NBC News coverage of Sandy aftermath
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Leave a Comment:
Pretty stupid! the gov. gives the gas away, THEN says DO not fill up until the Gov, fills up! what a load of crap, vote for Mitt and send the dmeonrats a powerful message they will not soon forget! go to hell.
They said the first responders get to fill up first.
What they were talking about is the work trucks Fire, Ambulance, Electric Co etc.
goes to show,that obama's clean energy plan doesn't work,especially without electricity,where are all those solar powered generators,and electric cars?
ummmm, they went bankrupt......
Obama's plan is working!!!!! create an obamacane to devastate the East coast, so there is no gas or power, he just reduced the carbon footprint of the US by 2x ! OH I forgot about the pain of the people on Staten Is. and NYC and the NJ coast! vote for Mitt and send the Demonrats a powerful message!
Fellow civil engineers pay attention... prudent designers leave flood prone ecosystems alone, giving mother nature a wide berth. They don't try to harness her fury, instead seeking to AVOID potential for disaster. Entrepreneurs do not often have the same reverence for her potential to destroy lives and too often die before the folly of their egocentric intrusions on mother earth are destroyed, avoiding the wrath of the public at large. Avoid playing along with these "money people" regarding such intrusions; you are entrusted to represent ALL of the people... not just those who pay your salary!
Stupid local Governments encourage development on the coast, and use eminent domain to claim sand for development, to increase the tax base! now there is the Stupidity, and Civil engineers encourage the strategy to increase their billings! which equal $$$$$$$$.
Not only local governments but the federal government encourages development in flood zones by stealing from taxpayers to subsidize flood insurance.
Dubai is the most UNSUSTAINABLE city in the world, per the French Eco. Agency!
Nevada Brett- Get Romney to go to New York and pump free gas all day long and while telling everyone there and the news covering it that he will do away with FEMA and states will be on their own during natural disasters like Sandy and I will vote for him on Nov. 6th.
Even better yet have Romney go over to Lybia and do a personal detailed investigation on the attack for one day and I will vote for him.
Even Better Better yet you break out your check book and start writting big checks with lots of zero's behind it to help pay for Sandy like The Romney plan would be for national disasters everywhere and I won't tell you to shut it and what a total moron you really are.
Mitt had the right idea: clothes , blankets and food, NOT coffee! The residents would love to have Mitt deliver those coats and food now, and throw the RC into the bay with their Starbucks Cappuccinos!
Ya know, I don't remember getting free gas down in Texas when Ike hit. Or when Rita hit SW Louisiana. Or Katrina. I guess the south should kiss more gov't ass.
I don't think for one minute that it's for free. The writer hasn't been no where and has no experience.
And Obama is back on the campaign trail after a token visit to the state of New Jersey to see the devastation. I would have been more impressed if he limited himself to speaking with Gov. Christie by phone and giving the money it cost the taxpayers for his Air Force One flight, his Secret Service payroll and his motorcade to get there. Seriously!!!...what couldn't he see given all the photos that the papers and tv were showing? The whole country saw it and knew how badly the residents of the state were suffereing. Did we really need for him to spend the extra money? And, if he was so damned confident about his win next Tuesday, he would be back in Washington overseeing what is going on and not running his butt around the country looking for votes.
Air Force 1 flies on allocated fuel, it is all taken care of ahead of time. What is with you trolls anyway Obama is doing nothing different than any other president of the past has done. That goes for Republican ones to.
Gov. Fatso can kiss more Obamabutt!
WOW. Seriously?
As we should all be taught......Ain't nothin free.....
We are all paying for it.
You can tell this is DEFINATELY a Democratic doing........SPREAD THE WEALTH....."Here people take this free gas, go ahead its FREE.....FREE....FREE....FREE....no one has to pay for it....EVER"
And if you think I am being conceeded or self centered....Your Right!! I don't want ANY of my money going to pay for other peoples problems....I have enough of my own, and I don't want or expect their help for my problems either!!
Well let me first say.. I do know what its like in a hurricane I do know the aftermath of a hurricane, time and time again, all my life I have lived on the gulf coast !! What I want to know is why the northeast is so special ??? You mean to tell me that these people who have been without power for less than a week ( oh my ) try no power for six weeks and cry and complain !!! And we ( the gulf coast ) have NEVER got free gas nor our dedctibles waived !!! So quit your friggin' boo hooin' !!!! And maybe next time there is a storm you you morons who think you're more important than the rest of us will go fill up and get prepared like we do !!!!!
Sorry but Alabama is not the financial capital of the world. You may not like NYC, but it is a lot more important than probably any city in the country. And most of us on the east coast were prepared, but none of us expected all the gas stations to be closed this long.
Last I heard the stock market opened back up and what does one thing have to do with the other ???? And you're getting free gas for what???? I just paid for mine !!! My goodness what in the hell would you people do if it had been bigger storm !!! what did you think it was going to be a little breezy and be done ???? And now ya'll should know the meaning of beimg "prepared "!!! good luck to ya !!!
I also just paid for mine! It was easy--I can go to the bank and get cash, or use my debit card to pay for it. The pumps at my favorite gas station are working just fine, no problem accessing my money from the bank because my bank has power so the electronic system is working just fine. Oh, and I can also use my fireplace for heat and even cooking if I need to, after all, the little wood pile I have under the car port is nice and dry. Oh, and I can fill up my tank and buy as much as I want--easy. If an earthquake hits, however, it would be a whole different story. What I'm trying to say here is that things change when it's your own ox that gets gored. At least those of you who have been through a natural disaster and are complaining--at least you folks have been through a disaster so you are in a better position to complain. But I ask you to consider this--each type of disaster and where it occurs is going to have some differences of logistics. And hopefully, with each disaster we learn how to respond and help better. If there was an earthquake here, I would still be able to cook outside with the wood that is under the carport (as long as my whole neighborhood didn't burn down!), so I would be able to get by on my own as regards that aspect of survival. Also, we don't have the kind of winters here that you all have back east or in the Midwest, not in Bakersfield, California where I live, anyway. I am not going to begrudge those folks their 10 gallons of gas for their generators. BTW, I'm not voting for Obama and I'm not voting for Romney--I'm voting for a third party, so I have no interest in slanting this one way or the other. And I really DO BELIEVE that we ALL need to learn from this disaster what we need to learn--pull together, and start studying what you need to do to be civilly prepared, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE!! Climate change is actually taking place--the argument is whether it's human caused or not--but we need to put that argument aside for a little while and just focus on how to have our nation be better prepared for whatever the changing climate patterns may bring, and that means everybody! The folks back east need our care and compassion right now - lets give it to them!
Mitt had the right idea, gather up coats, clothes and food, NOT REDCROSS capachinos! I bet the residendts of Staten Is. would love to see Mitt show up with his clothes and food! not demonrat coffee!
I don't recall free gas for those that went through Katrina. I don't recall Bruce or Bon Jovi giving benefit concerts less than a week after that disaster I don't recall those in Louisiana turning away voluteers just because they were not Union.
I don't recall any of the above in Joplin in May of 2011.
It seems that geographical area, the size of your bank account, your "demographics" and who you vote for seems to play an instrumental role in just how the govt. and hollywood react to your situation.
This is a disaster unions don't exist at this time get a grip, better learn something.
Bull Crap, the unions will not allow non union electrical crews into NJ or NYC!
ditto!!!!!!
I'll bet Bllomberg is handing out Free Gas cards at the polling booths as long as you vote Democrat. Remember Biden said if you vote Democrat you won't have to pay income tax. Another Democratic ploy for votes just like the GM bailout for the unions, the Illegal Alien amnesty, the teacher's unions, etc. Chicago politics at its best.
Chicago politics? It is modern day Democrat Party politics. Buying votes by giving away something from the Treasury. But no one thinks ahead to what happens when the Treasury is empty. Live for today, screw the future and the kids. The Democratic Party way. And oh, I forgot, "you are also a rascist if you don't agree"
As a resident of South Louisiana and someone who has lived through too many hurricanes to remember, I have now seen "OUR" government respond in scale by giving away gasoline (Sandy) to doing absolutely nothing (Katrina).
I guess the problem that I have is observing an area that was hit by a Category 1 Hurricane be treated as if they have be hit by a Category 5. It does appear to be special treatment and over the top.
And at least 50% of the "victims" who suffered from both storms did it to themselves by simply failing to evacuate when told to do so. I guess the government is responsible for ignorant people as well.
As the storm went from VA to MA and out to WVa, where did you expect us to go?
Mayor Bloomingidiot is thinking of passing GAS! no more than 16oz of petrol for everyone, except the upper east side
They said the first responders get to fill up first.
Wow that is bad how?
I guess the free gas is cheap champagning for Obama, never before has the administration offered free gas, it dosn't need to be free, but available, but I guess he can use the entire countrys tax money to buy his votes.....
what a great way to buy votes on my tax dollar
we didnt get free gas when ike hurt us in texas....
FREE are you kidding
at least sell it at market price -.50
he acts like the gov. has unlimited money
More loans from China. This administration is disgusting. We should turn on this dictator like they are on Assad.
If you need help and have been impacted by the storm, please call 1-800-benghazibama. It is a direct line to his penthouse suite at the top of Circus Circus....
Zero sympathy whatsoever for the whiners/shriekers/wailers who ignored repeated warnings to leave. You drain resources and slow the cleanup effort. What is with the mentality in this nation of "riding it out"? Shut up. You will soon be back to eating cheez whiz and watching dancing with the stars. It is cringeworthy watching overfed Americans completely losing it after 3 or four days without ease and comfort while in other parts of the world people take things in stride and carry on after such events. Think Haiti. I don't need more evidence this country is in terminal decline. I'm weary.
I wish they'd say it like it is which is "taxpayers robbed at gunpoint to give free gas to others!" I'm tried of robbery and theft by force being made out to be a good thing. Let charities do their job and get the government to stop stealing from others by force.
I'LL say this, the democrats know how to buy votes, food stamps,cell phones and now free gas. It just doesn't pay to have a job anymore.
All Bush's fault.
I thought it was the Tea Party's..... ;)
No... Just the loosers and takers fault!!!
This is his way of champaging with the american tax dollars, never before has the administration offered free gas. All the public wants is gas to be available. But why not use the tax dollars to win the election.......WE NEED CHANGE......not 4 more yrs of this crap.........A VOTE FOR ROMNEY!!!!!!! is a vote for jobs.......
Well it is good to know that our President is there making sure, personally, that everything possible is being done so that life in the disaster areas can go back to normal as soon as possible. Just remember that the fuel that the government is providing is obtained by the government with borrowed money. Because we are more then 16 trillion dollars in debt, the money that the federal government will end up costing the tax payers an estimated 10 times the amount borrowed to repay over the next 180 years. We can all thank the President for this. All hail the Chief!
Just another example of how inept, incompetent, and immoral this presidente really is. Every time he opens his mouth it's talk, talk, talk, and NO competent action. 3 more days to go before he gets SOUNDLY FIRED. Watch and see what happens when the quiet 4 or 5% who are just waiting in the shadows to vote comes out for Romney. It will be a defeat for the LIBERAL agenda, and a good day for America.
President Romney!!!!!!!!!!
Read the article:
The gas is going to the first responders before, anyone else.
Good bye Dumbomma!!!!