Rhode Island and Maine Declare Emergency for Weather

With the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) opting to increase the scrutiny for what counts as a State of Emergency, the news regarding them has slowed to a crawl.

This makes it all the more surprising when two states on the East Coast announce one within a day of each other, for the same reason.

Maine

Maine has a Declaration due to tumultuous winds and rain. Governor Janet T. Mills is worried that this will cause power outages that can impact people’s survivability during upcoming freezing days.

As such, the state is declaring a State of Emergency that will enable truckers who are delivering fuels of various types to drive beyond the typical 14 hours of service they can normally accomplish in a day, provided that they fit the usual stipulations such as taking an extended break once the delivery has been completed.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s Declaration is significantly more broad compared to what was instituted in Maine. Rather than specifically listing who now has the power to do what, it responds to the increase in wind and rain by saying that the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) has the ability to do whatever it deems necessary to get citizens the support they need. This may include RIEMA working with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to allow drivers to travel for longer when making important deliveries. Make sure to check RIDOT’s website for more information.

Conclusion

All of this news about heavy weather, as well as current weather in our home state of California, makes us wonder if there will be a repeat episode in 2024 for the West Coast, such as when there was a State of Emergency for the Golden State. We are hoping that it will not come to that, but with what we have been seeing lately at our headquarters in Roseville, it may just come to that.

Both Declarations for Maine and Rhode Island expire on January 2nd and the 3rd, respectively, fitting in with the new requirements that Declarations exist and may be extended in 14-day intervals.

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