During the Monday morning commute, many in Smyrna, as well as across the Atlanta area, were confronted with the reality of higher gas prices and, at some locations, no gas at all.
Fuel prices have continued to climb as an oil pipeline leak has crippled the oil supply in states across the southeast, including Georgia.
In Smyrna, gas prices were varying between $2.34 and $2.89 a gallon as of Monday, all higher than the national average of $2.20. The average price for the Atlanta metro area has shot up to $2.50 a gallon.
Without a proper supply of gasoline, many stations in the area are unable to keep up with the demand. According to the AJC, residents across Atlanta have reported visiting gas stations with closed fuel pumps.
One such station is the QuikTrip along Cumberland Boulevard in Smyrna, which consumers found Monday morning with no prices on the sign and plastic bags covering the pumps, indicating its lack of fuel.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has signed an executive order temporarily waiving certain restrictions of the Environmental Protection Agency on fuel tankers, enabling the gas to be delivered faster, Smyrna-Patch reports.
In addition, Deal signed an order stressing the state’s ban on price gouging, a move aimed at discouraging gas stations from unfairly marking up their prices during the shortage.
The shortage can be traced back to a Sept. 9 leak on the Colonial Pipeline, which runs from Texas to New York and provides gas for much of the East Coast. Workers are attempting to construct a new stretch of pipe to bypass the leaking section, which is located in Alabama.
Effects of the leak are hitting several southern states, including Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee.