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CHARLESTON -- Any gasoline shortage in West Virginia is being self-inflicted, the governor said Wednesday in recommending that residents stay calm.
"We basically are creating our own fuel shortage right now," Gov. Jim Justice said during his Wednesday pandemic briefing.
West Virginia is not significantly fed by the Colonial Pipeline that supplies Southeast U.S. states, about 45 percent of the consumption on the East Coast.
The pipeline, which on Friday said it was the victim of a cyberattack by Russian hackers, said Tuesday it "continues to make forward progress in our around-the-clock efforts to return our system to service …"
The result has been an increase of gasoline prices, shortages and hoarding.
A small part of the fuel supplied to West Virginia is from the Colonial Pipeline, Justice said. Most of the gasoline is from the Plantation Pipeline, he added.
State officials are monitoring the situation, said Justice, who recounted a story of a station in Barboursville where someone was filling large containers on a flatbed. People are hoarding, he said.
"Everybody is watching all that is going on," he said.
Justice said at his request West Virginia was added to the amended regional emergency declaration by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The declaration removes restrictions on carriers to areas where there are shortages.
The governor also advised residents to have adequate gasoline in the event hoarding causes a station to run out of fuel, he said.
"The best advice that I can possibly give you, is to just stay calm," Justice said.
The pandemic press briefings after next week will be reduced to twice a week, Tuesday and Thursdays, Justice said. Next week's briefings will be held Monday and Wednesday and if the pandemic worsens, more briefings will be held, the governor said.
Justice also said he plans to hold a weekly briefing thereafter.
"I'll be with you one day a week forever," Justice said.