 Vehicles, part of a 20+ line, approach a Valero Fueling Station in Raleigh, NC. | |
| Date | September 12, 2016 - September 21, 2016 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | 2016 Southeast Gas Shortage |
The 2016 Southeastern United States gasoline shortage was a phenomenon caused by the 2016 Colonial Pipeline Leak and the resulting panic buying in which many gas stations across six states had entirely run out of gasoline, causing price hikes, halts of services, and several declarations of states of emergency.[1]
On Monday, September 12, 2016, a leak occurred in Shelby County, Alabama, spilling an estimated 350,000 US gallons of summer-grade gasoline, requiring a partial shutdown of the pipeline, and causing gas shortages in much of the Southeastern United States. Six states were affected (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia), with Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia declaring states of emergency. These declarations eliminated certain size and weight restrictions on vehicles carrying gasoline, and the hours during which they are allowed to deliver.[2]
Many gas stations in the affected regions entirely ran out of gas. Panic buying greatly contributed to this.[3]
- ^ Riley, Charles (September 16, 2016). "Gasoline shortages, price hikes coming to East Coast after pipeline leak". CNNMoney. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ^ Posey, Melanie. "Colonial Pipeline: At least 42,000 gallons of gas leaked from line". wbrc.com. WBRC. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ^ "Worries lead to long gas lines in Nashville — again". Retrieved September 18, 2016.