Democratic North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in North Carolina Monday in response to the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline.
“Today’s emergency declaration will help North Carolina prepare for any potential motor vehicle fuel supply interruptions across the state and ensure motorists are able to have access to fuel,” Cooper said in his statement.
The order comes after Colonial Pipeline was forced to temporarily shut down as a result of the cyberattack, according to Cooper’s press release.
BREAKING: Governor Roy Cooper signed an Executive Order on Monday declaring a State of Emergency in North Carolina in response to the temporary shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline after a cyberattack over the weekend.https://t.co/z542htUiqO pic.twitter.com/fp7iqIMf85
— FOX8 WGHP (@myfox8) May 10, 2021
The Colonial Pipeline is responsible for around half of the east coast’s fuel supply with more than 100 million gallons of fuel transported each day. (RELATED: Experts Say There May Be An Impending Fuel Shortage On The East Coast)
The pipeline spans over 5,500 miles from Houston, Texas to Linden, New Jersey, according to the company’s website. It transports fuel from refineries to customers across the southern and eastern United States.
The federal government has accused the hacking organization “DarkSide” of carrying out the attack against Colonial Pipeline.
In an effort to fight the threat of fuel shortages, the White House announced Tuesday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will waive climate regulations related to the vapor pressure of fuel shipping.