EXECUTIVE ORDER
06-20

WHEREAS, severe storms occurred on March 30 and April 2, 2006, causing numerous tornadoes, high winds, hail, extremely heavy thunderstorms and flooding, across the entire state of Missouri, including the counties of Andrew, Atchison, Cooper, Dunklin, Holt, Marion, Monroe, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Pettis, Ralls, Shelby, Stoddard, St. Charles and St. Louis County; and

WHEREAS, this severe natural disaster has already resulted in extensive economic and human damage across the aforementioned counties, including, as of the time of this Executive Order, 3 deaths, more than 25 injuries, destruction of 60% of the City of Caruthersville, Missouri, the widespread interruption of electrical power to public utility customers across the aforementioned affected counties, and the temporary relocation of hundreds of persons from these counties, which will eventually require the return of these displaced persons to their homes; and

WHEREAS, these extreme weather conditions, and the resulting destruction of property, interruption of essential human services, and potential dangers to and loss of human life, now require and will continue to require a massive public and private response to provide immediate, emergency assistance and continuing emergency relief to individual persons, businesses, and local governmental units in need of transportation for food, supplies, tools, equipment, medicine, public and private health care, law enforcement, security services, public utility services, sanitation and waste disposal, cleanup of debris, property restoration and reconstruction, and other necessities, which threatens to overload the available transportation systems to, from, and within these affected states; and

WHEREAS, on April 3, 2006, I declared a state of emergency for the entire State of Missouri and directed the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan be activated; and

WHEREAS, the safety and welfare of the citizens of the aforementioned affected Missouri counties require that operators of commercial motor carriers upon the public highways within Missouri, who are rendering assistance to the emergency efforts within the affected counties, should be allowed more rapid and efficient travel to meet this emergency need for transportation of passengers and property; and

WHEREAS, this requirement for more rapid and efficient transportation would be facilitated by the temporary suspension of certain usual and necessary federal and state laws, regulations and administrative rule requirements for the drivers of commercial motor vehicles, while they are transporting property and passengers to assist in the emergency relief efforts.

NOW THEREFORE, I, MATT BLUNT, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Missouri, hereby declare that I acknowledge the existence of a regional state of emergency, within the meaning of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 390.23(a)(1), within the counties of Andrew, Atchison, Cooper, Dunklin, Holt, Marion, Monroe, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Pettis, Ralls, Shelby, Stoddard, St. Charles and St. Louis County, as a result of the severe weather conditions described above; and

FURTHER, I direct that the commercial motor vehicle federal regulatory requirements relating to drivers hours of service requirements in Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, shall be suspended for the duration of this Executive Order; and

FURTHER, I direct that the commercial motor vehicle regulatory requirements regarding the purchase of trip permits for registration and fuel for commercial motor carriers engaged in intrastate disaster relief efforts in the counties of Andrew, Atchison, Cooper, Dunklin, Holt, Marion, Monroe, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Pettis, Ralls, Shelby, Stoddard, St. Charles and St. Louis County, shall be waived; and

FURTHER, I direct that the issuance of overdimension and overweight permits by the Missouri Department of Transportation for commercial motor carriers engaged in intrastate disaster relief efforts in the counties of, Andrew, Atchison, Cooper, Dunklin, Holt, Marion, Monroe, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Pettis, Ralls, Shelby, Stoddard, St. Charles and St. Louis County shall be subject to the following interim application requirements in obtaining such a permit:

The permittee will be required to supply:

• Year, Make and License plate number of the power unit and trailer;
• Size, Make and Serial Number (last 4 digits) of commodity being hauled; Origin, Destination and Consecutive Routing;
• Overall Width, Height, Length and length of trailer and load only; and Date of Movement.

The permit process can be expedited by calling:

• 800-877-8499
• 573-526-5314; or
• 573-526-5312.

However, this Executive Order shall not suspend the applicability of the standard permit fee requirements; and

FURTHER, I direct that the effective date of this Executive Order shall begin on April 5, 2006, and such Executive Order shall continue in effect until May 3, 2006, unless extended in whole or in part.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this 5th day of April, 2006.

ATTEST:

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