TRENTON, N.J. - Gas station generators cannot help in times of fuel shortages, such as the one experienced in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. That€™s essentially the message Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience Store and Automotive Association told members of the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee, NewJersey.com reports.

The committee held a hearing about legislation that would require gasoline retailers to have backup power, such as generators. "This will accomplish nothing. If any of these pieces of legislation had been passed five years ago€¦you would have seen exactly the same amount of crisis we saw after Hurricane Sandy," said Risalvato. "You would have seen the same gas lines. You would have seen the same inconvenience."

The association assisted power companies to find gasoline stations with fuel but no power. Electricity restoration arrived fast at those locations, but soon the tanks were empty.

Lawmakers are considering several measures that would require equipping gas stations, supermarkets, retirement communities and long-term care facilities with generators or other backup power sources. "We must come to the grips with the possibility of such storms being the new norm," said Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, who chairs the committee. "And with that in mind, we must do more."

The gasoline station industry has been vocal about the cost of installing generators, especially given the low likelihood of the backup power sources would alleviate the problem of fuel shortages. Stations would have to shell out at least $11,000, while some would pay tens of thousands of dollars.

The hearing ended without any action being taken by the committee. New York is also considering similar legislation.