New York launches state gasoline reserve for emergencies

(Reuters) - New York state has launched the first U.S. state-based strategic gasoline reserve to prevent shortages like that which took place last year during Superstorm Sandy, Governor Andrew Cuomo said. The reserve started on Saturday and is expected to hold 3 million gallons of fuel for motorists and emergency personnel on Long Island, the governor's office said in a statement posted on its website. The reserve "will prevent the days of long lines at gas stations if another storm hits," Cuomo said in the Saturday statement. Sandy devastated New York and New Jersey in October 2012 and disrupted gasoline supplies, especially through loss of power to service stations and a gap in supplies to the stations, it said. The $10 million pilot program on Long Island is part of New York's Fuel NY imitative, launched in June. It is using storage owned by Northville Industries and the fuel can be delivered to other parts of the state, the statement said. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Diane Craft)