ATLANTA -- While other southeastern states were asking for help with gas shortages, Gov. Sonny Perdue waited a week before requesting a waiver freeing up extra gas for Georgia.

Officials in Kentucky asked on Monday, Sept. 15, for a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency to lift restrictions requiring special gas. It was granted the following day.

Virginia and Tennessee also asked for similar waivers after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike struck the Gulf Coast, knocking out oil refineries.

On Sept. 22, a week after Kentucky's request, Gov. Perdue sent a letter to the EPA. The agency granted the waiver for Georgia the next day.

The waiver from the EPA lifts restrictions requiring gas stations to sell reformulated gas in metro Atlanta and other areas of Georgia.

Critics said more gas would be flowing into Georgia if Perdue had acted faster.

“By not managing this, by not reacting, not working steadily with the EPA, not having this relationship, not maintaining it, it drags until there’s another crisis and who gets hurt are the working people,” said Rep. Dubose Porter, (D) House Minority Leader.

Distributors Channel 2 talked with said they gave Perdue’s office a heads up three weeks ago that the crisis would likely happen because of a one-two punch from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Add to that the fact supplies are normally low this time of year as refineries switch from a summer to winter gas formula.

“This is the same pattern we’ve seen of waiting too long. There’s got to be that leadership whether it’s transportation, education or here in a gas crisis,” said Porter.

“The people who would criticize that, they don’t understand the way we’re working with the EPA. We were talking with them everyday and timing the request so we could get a positive response,” said Perdue’s press secretary Bert Brantley.

Gov. Perdue left Saturday on a week-long economic development mission to Spain, Portugal and Italy.

Atlanta Gas Prices provided by GasBuddy.com

Click here to add this map to your website.