Gas stations around North Carolina continue to experience the fallout from the temporary Colonial Pipeline closure, with more than half of all stations across the state reporting fuel shortages, ABC 11 reports.
According to a 2 p.m. report from a GasBuddy analyst, 65% of all gas stations in North Carolina are without gasoline. Gov. Roy Cooper and other state leaders are urging drivers not to buy fuel unless they need to.
Gov. Cooper declared a state of emergency on Monday to help boost gasoline supplies across the state, the news outlet reports. The Environmental Protection Agency also issued a waiver for 12 states, including North Carolina, to allow sales of lower-grade fuel to help expand supply to areas experiencing a shortage.
"The shortages that we're seeing are pretty much solely related to panic buying from people, and I want to encourage people not to do that," Cooper said during a press conference Wednesday. "Don't fill up your car unless you have to. Don't go top off your car. It's not a supply issue."
State and local officials also warn consumers about potential price gouging, "unjustifiably" raising the cost of gas due to the increased supply.
"Please don't buy gas unless you're low and report any cases of price gouging," Gov. Cooper said in a statement. "We will continue our efforts to help make sure there is an adequate supply of fuel."
Photo: Getty Images