Alabama and Georgia have officially declared states of emergencies after a major fuel pipeline ruptured earlier this week in Shelby County, Alabama. Roughly 6,000 barrels of gasoline (or 252,000 gallons) has thought to have leaked since Monday, which will likely drive up fuel prices across the southeast. They expect Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina to suffer the most in terms of fuel price surges and shortages.
And while some local news outlets have covered the story, national media has been largely, and mysteriously, silent on the issue.
The health of about 500 responders at the clean-up site is also a primary concern for the fuel line operator, Colonial Pipeline, and the states themselves. The fuel spill takes up about 2 acres and is currently cordoned off in a water retention pond.
“It’s not safe for our workers to recover much product off of the pond due to gasoline vapors. It’s a challenge for us to do much because the vapors are not at safe levels for human health,” stated spokesman Bill Berry.
However, Colonial Pipeline remains firm that there is no current threat to public health or safety due to the spill.
Currently, they are unsure what exactly caused the leak and are digging to find its source.
At the moment, ATVs are not allowed in the area and a local shooting range has been shut down as a safety precaution. Several wildlife protection agencies are working to mimimalize the impact of the spill on the wildlife species of the area.
With several hundred workers working 24 hours a day, they feel confident that the mess can be contained summarily.
Colonial Pipeline’s largest spill to date was in 1996, when 22,800 barrels of gas leaked in South Carolina.
By Anna Scanlon
Credits: Truth Theory.
