Driver hours-of-service rules are being relaxed in 26 states and the District of Columbia under a state of emergency announced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on August 31. The declaration is in response to “fuel shortages due to refinery delays and interruption of delivery through pipelines as a result of damage from Tropical Storm Harvey,” according to a notice from FMCSA.

The states included in the declaration are: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia.

FMCSA’s notice grants exemption from Parts 390-399 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, which cover parts and accessories needed for safe operation, hours of service and longer combination vehicles.