Multiple gas stations along the East Coast are feeling the effects of the recent Colonial Pipeline cyber hack, leaving many locations without fuel and drivers panic-buying gasoline wherever they can. Many areas in the Blue Ridge region are experiencing extremely long lines at gas stations, but a large portion of them only have diesel fuel left.
The Colonial Pipeline, a critical artery for delivering nearly half of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, was hacked via ransomware by a cybercriminal group called DarkSide, completely shutting down the 5,500-mile structure, according to the FBI.
As of Tuesday, roughly 8.5% of gas stations in North Carolina and 7.7% in Virginia had no gasoline, according to outage figures reported by GasBuddy, an app that tracks fuel prices and demand.
“Panicked buying” is “running stations in the region dry,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told CNN Business.
According to a press release, Governor Ralph Northam signed Executive Order Seventy-Eight today, declaring a state of emergency in Virginia and increasing flexibility and funding for state and local governments to ensure adequate fuel supply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also issued a temporary fuel transportation waiver to increase the supply of gasoline, and Northam’s emergency declaration allows state agencies to issue their own waivers as required by the state.
Earlier today, EPA Administrator Michael Regan issued an emergency fuel waiver to help alleviate fuel shortages in states impacted by the pipeline shutdown. The waiver will continue through May 18.
“This emergency declaration will help the Commonwealth prepare for any potential supply shortages and ensure Virginia motorists have access to fuel as we respond to this evolving situation,” Governor Northam stated in the press release.
