The US Environmental Protection Agency Thursday expanded emergency gasoline waivers to include 

38 states and the District of Columbia to prevent  storm-related supply disruptions across  the country 

as concerns mounted about Gulf Coast refining capacity. 

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The agency waived through September 15  requirements for reformulated  gasoline and low-volatility 

gasoline to 26 additional states.  Previous waivers  targeted gasoline markets in  the South, Southeast 

and Mid-Atlantic regions. 

The latest waiver added Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, 

Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, 

Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Oklaho

ma, Wisconsin, Arkansas and New Mexico. 

EPA said the sale of E15, gasoline with up to 15% ethanol, must continue to comply with federal rules. 

EPA and the Department of Energy determined the waivers were in the public interest. 

"EPA and DOE are continuing to actively monitor the fuel-supply situation as a result of Hurricane Har

vey, and will act expeditiously if extreme and unusual supply circumstances exist in other areas," the 

agencies said in a statement. 

The nearly nationwide waiver comes a day after Colonial Pipeline, the largest US refined product pipe

line, announced it would temporarily suspend service on its Line 1 carrying gasoline and Line 2 carry

ing diesel and jet fuel because of supply constraints. 

The pipeline news and broader concerns about the loss of Texas refining capacity from Harvey drove

up gasoline futures Thursday. 

At 1708 GMT, NYMEX September RBOB was up 21.29 cents at $2.0976/gal, after posting an intraday 

high of $2.1678/gal, the highest point for the prompt contract since June 2015. NYMEX October RB O

B was up 12.76 cents at $1.7651/gal