DeSantis declares state of emergency over pipeline shutdown.
Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in Florida because of a cyberattack on the biggest fuel pipeline in the U.S. that is disrupting gas supplies.
The emergency order waives size and weight restrictions for trucks and prohibits price gouging.
“We really do need the federal government to step up and help, and we don’t want to see these long gas lines persist throughout the northern part of our state,” DeSantis said while at a bill-signing event in Jacksonville.
In the order, DeSantis wrote the pipeline’s closure presents a “severe threat” to Florida that requires “immediate measures be taken” until it reopens.
Across the Southeast, more than 1,000 gas stations reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline by a gang of hackers entered its fifth day Tuesday.
Government officials acted swiftly to waive safety and environmental rules to speed the delivery of fuel by truck, ship or rail to motorists and airports, even as they sought to assure the public that there was no cause for alarm.
The pipeline, which delivers about 45% of what is consumed on the East Coast, was hit on Friday with a cyberattack by hackers who lock up computer systems and demand a ransom to release them. The attack raised concerns, once again, about the vulnerability of the nation’s critical infrastructure.
A large part of the pipeline resumed operations manually late Monday, and Colonial anticipates restarting most of its operations by the end of the week, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said.
Motorists may still feel a crunch because it takes a few days to ramp up operations, but she said there is no reason to hoard gasoline.
“We know that we have gasoline; we just have to get it to the right places,” she said.
The AAA Auto Club noted that Florida gets most of its fuel through seaports from Gulf Coast refineries. The pipeline runs from the Texas Gulf Coast to the New York metropolitan area. The states most dependent on the pipeline include Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas, an analyst said.
In Florida, drivers in some areas faced long lines, and 3% of gas stations had run out. At gas stations in South Florida, business was steady but not overcrowded Tuesday night. Few stations reported shortages.
In Tallahassee, Dave Gussak drove from one station to the next in search of gas, seeing a line nearly a mile long at the pumps outside a Costco. He eventually passed a station with gas on the way to Florida State University where he works.
“This is insane,” he said. Irena Yanava’s tank was about half full, but she wasn’t about to take chances as she sat in her car at the same Tallahassee gas station.
“I know that I’ll be needing it soon, so why not?” she said.
Earlier in the day, state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried urged people to remain calm.
“Floridians: don’t panicbuy gas, don’t hoard gas, and don’t form long lines at gas stations during the #GasShortage,” Fried tweeted.
To ease brief shortages, the White House is considering temporarily waiving a law that says ships delivering products between U.S. ports must be built and manned by Americans.
The Transportation Department also is relaxing some workforce requirements and enlisting railroads to deliver fuel inland. And the Environmental Protection Agency lifted some fuel quality requirements on an emergency basis.