State Of Emergency Declared Over Colonial Pipeline Attack

Tallahassee, FL - In response to a cyber attack on one of the nation’s largest refined product pipelines that left thousands of gas stations without fuel, Governor Ron DeSantis declares a state of emergency. The order (21-105), which was issued Tuesday (May 11), will activate the state’s National Guard, as needed, suspend registration requirements and waive certain restrictions for vehicles transporting fuel into the state. Price gouging protections also go into effect because of the order. This order comes days after a ransomware attack forced the Colonial Pipeline—which delivers fuel from Texas to New York—to shut down. So far, no groups have claimed responsibility for the attack, but some have speculated that a Russian-based hacking group known as "DarkSide" could be responsible for the attack. In response to the attack, Colonial Pipeline issued a statement saying the company is planning a full restart of the pipeline’s systems, but they did not clarify how long the restart could take. In preparation for the restart, the company has taken delivery of an additional 2 million barrels—equating to around 84 million gallons—from refineries for deployment once the restart takes place. Security has also been increased around the pipeline. "Consistent with our safety policies and regulatory requirements, Colonial has increased aerial patrols of our pipeline right of way and deployed more than 50 personnel to walk and drive ~ 5,000 miles of pipeline each day," the company said in a press release. "Our primary focus remains the safe and efficient restoration of service to our pipeline system, while minimizing disruption to our customers and all those who rely on Colonial Pipeline." And while the pipeline supplies gas to most of the eastern seaboard, some analysts have said that Florida is not largely dependent on this pipeline; despite reports of some Gulf Coast gas stations running out of supplies, per an article from ABC Action News in Tampa. But, even if the state is well supplied, analysts said prices at the pump could be affected as prices are influenced by domestic and international supply and demand. AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins said prices could rise the longer the pipeline is down, which is already evident. Five days have passed since the pipeline shut down and Florida’s average price of gas is already up one cent—same for the Volusia and Flagler areas. While that might not seem like a large jump, other states seem to be faring worse than Florida. According to AAA, the average price of regular unleaded gas in Georgia increased by 8 cents—jumping from $2.87 a gallon to $2.95. In the Atlanta metro area, the average price of gas jumped 10 cents. The national average has also increased by 3 cents since Monday. Report an instance of price gouging or contractor fraud during a declared state of emergency to the Attorney General’s Office online at www.myfloridalegal.com or by calling toll-free at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM.