RENEE MONTAGNE, Host: NPR's business news starts with oil refineries bracing for Irene.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, Host: Oil refineries along the East Coast are battening down the hatches, as Hurricane Irene approaches. There are eight major refineries in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They're starting to turn off equipment and tie down parts of their facilities that could be damaged. It could take weeks after the shutdown to bring production back to normal levels. The potential drop-off in shipments is already boosting gas prices.</s>DAVID GREENE, Host: A thumbs-up from the government today would allow Boeing to make its first shipments, and they would go to a Japanese airline.
Oil refineries along the East Coast are battening down the hatches, as Hurricane Irene approaches. It could take weeks after the shutdown to bring production back to normal levels. At the same time, Boeing is waiting to receive the U.S. government's safety stamp of approval for its 787 Dreamliner passenger jet.