Tag: colonial pipeline

Rubio is co-sponsoring U.S. Sen. Gary Peters’, D-Mich., “DHS Industrial Control Systems Capabilities Enhancement Act” which “would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to ensure they can better identify and mitigate threats to Industrial Control Systems, the operational technology involved in operating the function of critical infrastructure networks, including pipelines, water supply and electric utilities.”

Soto was able to get his “Digital Taxonomy Act” and his “Blockchain Innovation Act” rolled into U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney’s, D-Calif., “Consumer Safety Technology Act.”

“The Colonial Pipeline is still down, yet Florida remains well supplied with fuel. While there is not considered to be a gasoline ‘shortage’ in Florida, there are reports of fuel outages at various gas stations, due to unusually strong demand,” AAA noted. “Florida is not heavily reliant on the Colonial Pipeline. Ninety percent of Florida’s gasoline flows in through our ports on cargo ships. That gasoline is then driven to the pumps on tanker trucks.”

AAA released a study on Tuesday showing that more than 37 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles over Memorial Day, a 60 percent increase from last year and a sign that more and more people are putting the pandemic in the rearview mirror. 

These issues include the recently-reported cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline serving North Florida, fuel terminal issues in the Pensacola area and shortages of fuel truck driver availability.

"The longer the pipeline is down, the greater the threat of rising gas prices," said Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA and the Auto Club Group. "If operations are restored on Monday, drivers may see very little to no impact at the pump. A lengthy downtime, like a week, would be a different story. Sunday night, gasoline futures prices were up less than a nickel."