FUEL WAIVERS * Canada - Feds propose they, during capacity crunches

An amendment to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act allowing the use of temporary fuel waivers during times of short-term supply constraints is being described by truckers as "a good first step" but in need of some tweaking

Ottawa,ONT,CAN -Today's Trucking -6 May 2008: -- ... In its comments on the proposal to Environment Canada, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) was supportive of the action, but pointed out that the regulatory language may not allow government to act quickly enough to bring needed relief to the trucking industry during a fuel crisis... Specifically, CTA is concerned that by making the authority to issue a waiver contingent on the "declaration of an emergency," the proposed regulation sets an impractically high threshold... CTA wants to create a contingency plan to ensure supply of road diesel fuel in times of regional disruptions... From a legal perspective, says CTA boss David Bradley, it's highly unlikely that the fuel supply crisis that affected Ontario and parts of Quebec in 2007 after a series of refinery fires and rail strike, would have qualified as an emergency situation... (Picture: CTA wants to create a contingency plan to ensure supply of road diesel fuel in times of regional disruptions)