US - Dept. of Transportation statement: Declaration of a regional emergency due to the unanticipated shutdown of the Colonial oil pipeline - May 9, 2021

[sharon sanders]

ESC-SSC-WSC - Regional Emergency Declaration 2021-002 - 05-09-2021

ESC-SSC-WSC - Regional Emergency Declaration 2021-002 - 05-09-2021.pdf
Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration

May 9, 2021

REGIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION
UNDER 49 CFR ? 390.23
No. 2021-002

ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DELAWARE, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MARYLAND, MISSISSIPPI, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, AND VIRGINIA

In accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR ? 390.23, the Regional Field Administrators for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration?s (FMCSA) Eastern, Southern, and Western Service Centers hereby declares that an emergency exists that warrants issuance of a Regional Emergency Declaration and an exemption from Parts 390 through 399 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety (FMCSRs), except as otherwise restricted in this Emergency Declaration. Such emergency is in response to the unanticipated shutdown of the Colonial pipeline system due to network issues that affect the supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products throughout the Affected States. This Declaration addresses the emergency conditions creating a need for immediate transportation of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products and provides necessary relief. Affected States and jurisdictions included in this Emergency Declaration (?Affected States?) are: Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

By execution of this Emergency Declaration, motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency in the Affected States in direct support of relief efforts related to the shortages of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products due to the shutdown, partial shutdown, and/or manual operation of the Colonial pipeline system are granted relief from Parts 390 through 399 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations except as restricted herein.

This Emergency Declaration provides for regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operations while providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts transporting gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products into the Affected States during the emergency from shortages due to the shutdown, partial shutdown, and/or manual operation of the Colonial pipeline system. Direct assistance terminates when a driver or commercial motor vehicle is used in interstate commerce to transport cargo or provide services not in support of emergency relief efforts related to the shortages of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products due to the shutdown, partial shutdown, and/or manual operation of the Colonial pipeline system in the Affected States, or when the motor carrier dispatches a driver or commercial motor vehicle to another location to begin operations in commerce. (49 CFR ? 390.23(b)). Upon termination of direct assistance to emergency relief efforts related to the shortages of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products due to the shutdown, partial shutdown and/or manual operation of the Colonial pipeline system in the Affected States, the motor carrier and driver are subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Parts 390 through 399, except that a driver may return empty to the motor carrier?s terminal or the driver?s normal work reporting location without complying with Parts 390 through 399. When a driver is moving from emergency relief efforts to normal operations a 10-hour break is required when the total time a driver operates conducting emergency relief efforts, or a combination of emergency relief and normal operation, equals 14 hours.

All other applicable safety requirements remain in place and will be enforced by the FMCSA. Specifically, nothing contained in this Emergency Declaration shall be construed as an exemption from the controlled substances and alcohol use and testing requirements (49 CFR Part 382), the commercial driver?s license requirements (49 CFR Part 383), the financial responsibility (insurance) requirements (49 CFR Part 387), the hazardous material regulations (49 CFR Parts 100-180), applicable size and weight requirements, or any other portion of the regulations not specifically authorized pursuant to 49 CFR ? 390.23.

Motor carriers or drivers currently subject to an out-of-service order are not eligible for the relief granted by this declaration until they have met the applicable conditions for its rescission and the order has been rescinded by FMCSA.

In accordance with 49 CFR ? 390.23, this declaration is effective immediately and shall remain in effect until the end of the emergency (as defined in 49 CFR ? 390.5) or until 11:59 P.M. (ET), June 8, 2021, whichever is earlier. FMCSA intends to continually review the status of this Emergency Declaration and may take action to modify or terminate the Emergency Declaration sooner if conditions warrant.


Taft Kelly, Regional Field Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Eastern Service Center


Darrell L. Ruban, Regional Field Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Southern Service Center


Scott G. Hernandez, Regional Field Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Western Service Center


Last updated: Sunday, May 9, 2021

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/emergency/esc-ssc-wsc-regional-emergency-declaration-2021-002-05-09-2021

[sharon sanders]

Media Statement Update: Colonial Pipeline System Disruption


Update ? Sunday, May 9, 5:10 p.m.

On May 7, Colonial Pipeline Company learned it was the victim of a cybersecurity attack and has since determined that the incident involved ransomware. Quickly after learning of the attack, Colonial proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat. These actions temporarily halted all pipeline operations and affected some of our IT systems, which we are actively in the process of restoring.

Leading, third-party cybersecurity experts were also immediately engaged after discovering the issue and launched an investigation into the nature and scope of this incident. We have remained in contact with law enforcement and other federal agencies, including the Department of Energy who is leading the Federal Government response.

Maintaining the operational security of our pipeline, in addition to safely bringing our systems back online, remain our highest priorities. Over the past 48 hours, Colonial Pipeline personnel have taken additional precautionary measures to help further monitor and protect the safety and security of its pipeline.

The Colonial Pipeline operations team is developing a system restart plan. While our mainlines (Lines 1, 2, 3 and 4) remain offline, some smaller lateral lines between terminals and delivery points are now operational. We are in the process of restoring service to other laterals and will bring our full system back online only when we believe it is safe to do so, and in full compliance with the approval of all federal regulations.

At this time, our primary focus continues to be the safe and efficient restoration of service to our pipeline system, while minimizing disruption to our customers and all those who rely on Colonial Pipeline. We appreciate the patience and outpouring of support we have received from others throughout the industry.

###


Update ? Saturday, May 8, 12:30 p.m.

On May 7, the Colonial Pipeline Company learned it was the victim of a cybersecurity attack. We have since determined that this incident involves ransomware. In response, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems. Upon learning of the issue, a leading, third-party cybersecurity firm was engaged, and they have launched an investigation into the nature and scope of this incident, which is ongoing. We have contacted law enforcement and other federal agencies.

Colonial Pipeline is taking steps to understand and resolve this issue. At this time, our primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation. This process is already underway, and we are working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline.

https://www.colpipe.com/news/press-r...tem-disruption

[sharon sanders]

Colonial Pipeline:

5,500 Miles of Pipe

7 Airports Serviced Directly

14 States

100 Million Gallons of Fuel Transported Daily

https://www.colpipe.com/

----------------------------------------------------------

Colonial connects directly to several major airports, including Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh-Durham, Dulles, and Baltimore-Washington. It serves metropolitan New York airports via connections with Buckeye Pipeline

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coloni...eye%20Pipeline.

[sharon sanders]

snip

3 scenarios


?Timing of the restart is the critical issue,? Wells Fargo analyst Roger Read said in a note on Sunday. He outlined three possible date ranges:

1. Fewer than five days: If a partial restart of the pipeline begins by Wednesday, there will be ?no significant or lasting impacts.?

2. Six to 10 days: Refiners may need to reduce the amount of crude oil they process if the pipeline remains shut for up to 10 days. Inventories will rise in the U.S. Gulf Coast, causing prices to fall, while prices in the East Coast would jump, the analyst said. The East Coast is also likely to import more waterborne fuel, and spot shortages will start to take place in parts of the Southeast.

3. More than 10 days: Refiners in the Gulf Coast will almost definitely have to reduce their runs, and oil prices may weaken compared with waterborne crudes to encourage exports. ?Expect significant fuel shortages in the interior Southeast of the U.S.,? Wells Fargo said in the note.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/10/largest-us-fuel-pipeline-colonial-still-mostly-shut-impact-and-reopening.html

[sharon sanders]

Update ? Monday, May 10, 12:25 p.m.

Colonial Pipeline continues to dedicate vast resources to restoring pipeline operations quickly and safely. Segments of our pipeline are being brought back online in a stepwise fashion, in compliance with relevant federal regulations and in close consultation with the Department of Energy, which is leading and coordinating the Federal Government?s response.


Restoring our network to normal operations is a process that requires the diligent remediation of our systems, and this takes time. In response to the cybersecurity attack on our system, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems. To restore service, we must work to ensure that each of these systems can be brought back online safely.

While this situation remains fluid and continues to evolve, the Colonial operations team is executing a plan that involves an incremental process that will facilitate a return to service in a phased approach. This plan is based on a number of factors with safety and compliance driving our operational decisions, and the goal of substantially restoring operational service by the end of the week. The Company will provide updates as restoration efforts progress.

We continue to evaluate product inventory in storage tanks at our facilities and others along our system and are working with our shippers to move this product to terminals for local delivery. Actions taken by the Federal Government to issue a temporary hours of service exemption for motor carriers and drivers transporting refined products across Colonial?s footprint should help alleviate local supply disruptions and we thank our government partners for their assistance in resolving this matter.

Our primary focus continues to be the safe and efficient restoration of service to our pipeline system, while minimizing disruption to our customers and all those who rely on Colonial Pipeline. We appreciate the patience of the traveling public and the support we have received from the Federal Government and our peers throughout the industry.


https://www.colpipe.com/news/press-r...tem-disruption

[sharon sanders]

Gov. Ron DeSantis issues emergency order in response to Colonial Pipeline closure, gas shortage

Colonial Pipeline provides fuel to East Coast, including Florida

Gas distribution problems cause long lines, empty pumps in Florida panhandle

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? The Florida governor issued an emergency order Tuesday evening as drivers quickly drained pumps in fear of a gas shortage tied to the Colonial Pipeline closure.

snip

A large part of the pipeline resumed operations manually late Monday, and Colonial anticipates restarting most of its operations by the end of the week, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said.

?The sudden and unexpected closure of Colonial Pipeline and the attending disruption of fuel supplies poses a severe threat to the State of Florida and requires that immediate measures be taken to protect and to facilitate the continued delivery of such fuel products to this State, until such time as Colonial Pipeline operations have fully resumed,? DeSantis? emergency order reads.

Central Florida drivers are already reporting long lines and outages at gas pumps. Across the state, 3% of gas stations are out of fuel, according to The Associated Press.

more..

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/lo...-gas-shortage/

[sharon sanders]

Patrick De Haan
@GasBuddyGuy

2h
GASOLINE OUTAGES as of 6am CT... percent of all stations in state without gasoline: GA 15.4% AL 1.8% TN 2.8% SC 13.4% NC 24.8% FL 4.2% VA 15.0% MD 3.5%
35
309
276
Patrick De Haan
@GasBuddyGuy

2h
BREAKING: Tuesday US gasoline demand was up 14.3% from the prior Tuesday. Week to date through Tuesday, gasoline demand is up 10.7% WoW.
3
27
41
Patrick De Haan
@GasBuddyGuy

2h
NATIONAL AVERAGE REACHES $3/GAL, FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 7 YEARS The national average price of gasoline has reached $3 per gallon for the first time October 30, 2014.

[Emily]

https://www.marinelink.com/news/valero-charters-tanker-storage-cyber-487484

Valero Charters Tanker for Storage as Cyber Attack Shuts U.S. Pipeline

Laura Sanicola May 10, 2021

[Emily]

https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/natural-gas/051321-us-grants-single-jones-act-waiver-to-move-fuel-to-east-coast-as-colonial-pipeline-restarts

US grants single Jones Act waiver to move fuel to East Coast as Colonial Pipeline restarts

• Author Meghan Gordon Jordan Blum
• Editor Alisdair Bowles
• Commodity Natural Gas, Oil

Highlights
Colonial initiates restart process five days after cyberattack
Platts Analytics expects full recovery to take several weeks
Panic-buying across Southeast continues to disrupt supplies