Gas shortages in the D.C.-area is leading to long lines and increases prices at gas pumps.

Flickr / Open Grid Scheduler

Some local gas stations are experiencing fuel shortages as the effects of a ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline late last week ripple through the region.

The shortages are partly driven by panic from drivers who, anticipating a drop in the gasoline supply, have waited in long lines to fill their tanks.

The Colonial Pipeline, which supplies about 45% of gas on the East Coast, was temporarily shut down after being hacked by an organized crime group called DarkSide, according to the FBI. The federal government has mobilized in multiple ways, while the company says it is making progress “around-the-clock efforts to return our system to service.”

Meanwhile, the national average for gas surpassed $3 a gallon for the first time since 2014. Average prices for gas in the region have also increased slightly since last week, according to AAA Gas Prices.

Jurisdiction Average gas price last week Average gas price now
D.C. $3.06 $3.09
Maryland suburbs $2.93 $3.01
Northern Virginia $2.82 $2.93

About 8% of all gas stations in the District, 17% in Virginia, and 4% in Maryland are without fuel at this time, according to Patrick De Haan, an analyst with GasBuddy. Drivers can check the status of gas stations on the GasBuddy app.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced a state of emergency Tuesday to keep the commonwealth’s gas supply from being depleted.

“This emergency declaration will help the Commonwealth prepare for any potential supply shortages and ensure Virginia motorists have access to fuel as we respond to this evolving situation,” Northam said in a statement.

And Virginia’s Department of Emergency Management is encouraging residents not to panic buy gas.

Some Virginia drivers say they’ve seen shocking price increases at the pump even with anti-price gouging laws in the state. Attorney General Mark Herring told reporters Wednesday that drivers should report any suspected price gouging they see to the attorney general’s consumer protection hotline at (800) 552-9963.

“The bottom line is price gouging will not be tolerated in Virginia. We take these cases seriously,” Herring said. “We saw some significant social media traffic around a couple of examples around the Richmond area last night. So we’re taking a look at that.”

In Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan tweeted Tuesday that he was meeting with the state’s energy and emergency planning teams and planning for contingencies.

“We will keep Marylanders informed of any significant impacts on our fuel supply. For now, drivers should proceed as normal,” Hogan wrote in a tweet.

Dr. Earl Stoddard, director of Montgomery County’s office of emergency management, told reporters Wednesday that drivers should not be panic buying gasoline or storing it in containers other than gas canisters.

“It doesn’t serve anyone’s benefit for people to be hoarding gasoline. There’s not good rationale for that right now,” Stoddard said. “What’s becoming increasingly clear is that the interruption to services is not as dramatic as people fear it is.”

But despite the calls not to panic buy, Twitter users have shared images of people stocking up on gallons of gasoline, signs at pumps saying out of gas, and even a video of police showing up at a gas station in Norfolk to cease tensions between drivers.

https://twitter.com/WDVMRandiB/status/1392502831169613824?s=20

https://twitter.com/wx_garcia/status/1392241377308811267

https://twitter.com/AugensteinWTOP/status/1392423687308169218

https://twitter.com/EdwardLawrence/status/1392471270302830597

This story has been updated with comments from Virginia’s Attorney General Mark Herring and Montgomery County’s Director of Emergency Management Dr. Earl Stoddard.

Jacob Fenston contributed reporting.

Filed Under: Colonial Gas Pipeline, gas, gas shortage, gas stations, Maryland, virginia,