By Zach Hester, Reporter • zach@southerntorch.com (Photo by The Baltimore Sun)

ALABAMA — Despite panic-fueled gasoline buying, Governor Kay Ivey says there is no gas shortage in the State of Alabama.

According to spokeswoman Gina Maiola, Ivey spoke with the U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday regarding the shutdown of the Texas-based Colonial Pipeline, which was recently struck by a cyberattack. The company provides almost half of the East Coast’s gasoline and jet fuel.

“It’s not that we have a gasoline shortage, it’s that we have this supply crunch, and that things will be back to normal soon,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. “We are asking people not to hoard...we expect that gas station owners are and should act responsibly. We will have no tolerance for price gouging.”

On Monday, President Biden loosened restrictions on truck drivers to allow the transportation of more fuel, to avoid pileups at gas pumps; however, across DeKalb County, pumps have been covered with bags, indicating no fuel or lines were so long that citizens waited upwards of an hour to fill their vehicles and other containers.

“This is similar to the panic buying that comes with hurricane season,” said State Senator Steve Livingston. “It places an unnecessary strain on our system and prevents everyone from having what they need.” 

Colonial Pipeline is expected to resume most of its operations by the end of the week.