The U.S. government approved a September 21 restart for Colonial Pipeline Co.’s main gasoline pipeline, authorities said on September 20, after the line’s biggest leak in almost two decades caused supply shortages that pushed pump prices higher.
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Colonial Pipeline projected the restart of line one on Wednesday and that once the line is restarted, it may take a few days for supply to return to normal in the Southeastern states hit hardest by the partial closure of the pipeline, including Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement Tuesday that sampling teams are working collaboratively with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Cahaba Riverkeeper and Colonial Pipeline Company to collect water quality samples throughout impacted and potentially impacted areas at the response site.
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Alabama state workers discovered the leak September 9 when they noticed a strong gasoline odor and sheen on a man-made retention pond, along with dead vegetation, according to a report by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The 500-foot bypass was needed to move fuel around the leak of the company’s main gasoline pipeline in Shelby County, Ala. “‘We will continue to pull available gasoline from more distant sources until pipeline service is back to full capacity'”.
“Motorists may continue to see spotty outages this week, but once regular fuel delivery resumes supplies should return to normal”.
The line is expected to operate at reduced pressure around the damaged section, but the company said it could still maintain normal flow rates.
AAA reported a gallon of regular unleaded gas Wednesday was $2.21 in the Cape Fear region – matching the national average and a penny lower than the state’s average price. The Columbia, South Carolina area saw prices rise about 6 cents since Monday. The line normally transports 1.3 million barrels (or 54.6 million gallons) of gasoline per day from refineries in Houston to distributors throughout the Southeast and East Coast. Additionally, HOS waivers expire October 15 for Alabama and North Carolina; Oct 1 for Virginia and September 23 for Tennessee.
The agency said it will continue to monitor water quality in Peel Creek and the Cahaba River.
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“We’ve successfully weathered fuel shortages before and we will do it again”, McCrory said.
