ATLANTA — A statewide executive order signed previously by Gov. Brian Kemp to keep gasoline flowing into Georgia has been extended for another week.
The governor, on Friday, issued an executive order extension, Friday, which will mean several provisions put in place following the temporary closure of the Colonial Pipeline will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on May 22 - unless otherwise renewed.
The original order lifted most restrictions on trucks carrying gas into the state for emergency relief. The order also temporarily suspends the collection of fuel taxes.
The news comes as the Alpharetta-based company begins to once again move fuel through one of the largest pipelines in the country following a cyberattack which led to a temporarily shutdown.
"While Colonial Pipeline is now operational, the company has informed the public that it will be a few days until full service is available statewide," Gov. Kemp. said in a statement. "This executive order will ensure fuel supply chains have every resource needed to deliver gas quickly and safely, and that Georgians aren't hit with state gas taxes at the pump during this shortage."
The Colonial Pipeline runs from Texas to New Jersey, carrying more than 100 million barrels of fuel every day. That's everything from gasoline to heating oil and jet fuel that supplies Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Restarting the pipelines should eventually begin to calm some concerns and restore supply. But even with gas flowing again, it's going to happen slowly.
Officials said that, at five miles an hour, the fuel would move 120 miles a day – meaning fuel that originated in Texas Wednesday night wouldn’t arrive in Atlanta until Tuesday.
Compounding the issue has been an influx of some "panic buying" by members of the general public - an act the governor discouraged.
"I continue to ask Georgians to only purchase the fuel they need for essential travel through the upcoming weekend," Kemp stated after extending the order.