RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Gov. Roy Cooper said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency waived certain fuel requirements to increase North Carolina’s supply of gasoline.
Cooper’s statement comes as 25 percent of the state’s gas stations have run dry following the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline.
“Please don’t buy gas unless you’re low and report any cases of price gouging,” Cooper said. “We will continue our effort to help make sure there is an adequate supply of fuel.”
Cooper said the shortages that are occurring Wednesday are due to “panic buying.”
Colonial intends to have its pipeline operation by Friday into the weekend, according to the governor.
According to GasBuddy, North Carolina leads the Southeast in the number of gas stations without fuel.
The Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45 percent 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.
