The combination of sustained and extreme cold temperatures, a pipeline closure during much of December, and other external factors are contributing to an ongoing shortage of heating fuel this winter.
Kurt Bauer, President/CEO of Wisconsin’s Chamber of Commerce – WMC – issued the following statement regarding Wisconsin’s propane shortage crisis:
“WMC praises Governor Walker and our congressional delegation for working to assist struggling Wisconsin families and businesses through the ongoing propane crisis. As state and federal agencies partner with Wisconsin’s propane dealers to alleviate the shortage, we shouldn’t lose the opportunity to use this as a teachable moment.
“The current shortages and price shocks remind us as to how vulnerable America’s energy infrastructure remains. Current EPA policies forcing fuel switching from coal to natural gas without corresponding investment in energy infrastructure only exacerbate that vulnerability.
“Without a wholesale shift in American energy policy, extraordinary episodes like the current propane crisis could become the norm in the future. It’s a tragic irony that federal policies are forcing Americans down a path to energy scarcity at a time of historical energy abundance.”
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