The U.S. Department of Energy announced Thursday it will utilize the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve to address fuel shortages in Louisiana because of Hurricane Ida. The Category 4 hurricane devastated coastal areas and inland parishes across the state’s southeastern region. Gasoline-powered generators remain critically important as widespread power outages persist amid sweltering summer temperatures. Transportation also is precarious given limited gas station fuel supplies and pumps rendered useless from a lack of electricity. According to the popular app GasBuddy, more than 65 percent of Baton Rouge and New Orleans gas stations were without fuel as of Thursday morning, while more than 35 percent of Louisiana was without fuel. Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is expected to provide much needed relief, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. A DOE statement said Granholm authorized an exchange with ExxonMobile Baton Rouge “to alleviate any logistical issues of moving crude oil within areas …