Kansas Governor Declares Emergency Over Propane Shortage
State waives federal driving limits for fuel haulers after pipeline leak disrupts Midwest supply
TOPEKA – Gov. Laura Kelly declared a state of disaster emergency Wednesday to address propane delivery delays threatening Kansas residents, prompting state regulators to temporarily suspend federal driving hour limits for fuel haulers.
The Kansas Corporation Commission voted Thursday morning to waive hours-of-service regulations through Dec. 31 for motor carriers directly assisting with propane deliveries. The action aims to reduce supply disruptions and long waits at fuel terminals as drivers work to maintain deliveries during the emergency period.
The supply crunch follows a Nov. 27 leak on the Mid-America Pipeline in Kansas that caused significant distribution problems across the Midwest, according to the National Propane Gas Association. While the pipeline was repaired and service resumed in early December, the incident contributed to ongoing logistics challenges that have left trucks waiting longer at terminals and traveling farther to find product.
Kansas is particularly vulnerable to propane shortages because Conway, Kansas serves as a major regional storage and pricing hub, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. About 8 percent of Kansas households rely on propane as their primary heating fuel, and demand spikes seasonally for both agricultural grain drying and winter heating. Missouri and other nearby states have issued similar emergency waivers in recent days.
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