WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food & Nutrition Service (FNS), which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is reminding convenience retail operations that accept SNAP benefits that the hot food waivers issued in Texas and Florida, in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, have expired.

FNS approved extensions of hot food waivers in both states after they were initially implemented, to allow households to continue to purchase hot foods and hot food products prepared for immediate consumption with their SNAP EBT benefits at SNAP authorized retailers through October 31, 2017. The extension applied to all SNAP-authorized retail food stores in Texas and Florida.

Meanwhile, the federal government continues to extend waivers to areas affected by the recent hurricanes:

Puerto Rico Fuel Waiver Extension
On October 27, EPA waived requirements to allow the use of high sulfur heating oil and marine fuel in mobile nonroad generators or pumps used for emergency purposes in Puerto Rico, through November 15. The waiver was first granted on September 30 and extended for the first time on October 11.

FMCSA Extends Waiver for Texas
On October 24, FMCSA extended its regional declaration of emergency for the state of Texas. Specifically, the extension will ensure that hours of service limitations continue to be waived for “motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency in the State of Texas because of Hurricane Harvey.”