ATLANTA (AP/WAOK) – The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday granted Georgia and seven other states permission to bypass environmental standards for gasoline in the wake of Hurricane Isaac.

Usual EPA guidelines require that Georgia use cleaner burning fuel in summer months, with even stricter standards for the 45-county region that included metropolitan Atlanta. The EPA waived those rules until Sept. 15 to allow the sale of conventional gasoline.

The move is intended to prevent fuel shortages as Gulf Coast refineries resume their normal production of the cleaner fuel. Many of the refineries shut down because of power outages and flooding.

The EPA’s decision is typical after significant disruptions of the fuel supply.

Gov. Nathan Deal called it a “responsible action (that) will help protect Georgia residents and businesses from price spikes and panic.”