CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today requested that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency give New Hampshire a waiver to sell non-reformulated gasoline if necessary in order to ensure that the state has an adequate gasoline supply.

"For our citizens and businesses, the dramatic and sudden increase in the price of gasoline is a major problem. I am asking the federal government to give New Hampshire a waiver to allow our gas stations to sell non-reformulated gasoline if necessary," Gov. Lynch said. "I recognize that this will not solve this national problem, but it is a step we should take to help keep New Hampshire's gasoline market as stable as possible."

The federal government requires New Hampshire to sell only reformulated gasoline (gasoline with the additive MtBE) in Merrimack, Hillsborough, Rockingham and Strafford Counties. Gov. Lynch has asked the federal government to issue a temporary waiver to allow the sale of other types of gasoline in those counties if the supply of reformulated gasoline becomes inadequate.

Gov. Lynch made the request in letters to EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson and to President Bush. In addition, Department of Environmental Services officials have been holding conference call discussions about the issue throughout the day.

The Department of Environmental Services has contacted major distributors today and at this point gasoline supplies are adequate and are expected to remain so in the near future, but supply deliveries could be subject to change depending on the demands of the Hurricane response effort.

"In light of the unpredictable nature and consequences of a potential shortfall in gasoline supplies, a temporary waiver in the event that compliant fuels are exhausted seems appropriate," Gov. Lynch wrote to President Bush.

"It could remove potential regulatory barriers and provide additional flexibility both in supplying New Hampshire, and allowing movement of product outside the region as may be necessary to respond to hurricane impacted areas," Gov. Lynch wrote to EPA Administrator Johnson.