Atlanta is Burning: Where's the Gas?!?
I visited Atlanta, Georgia this weekend where I had the opportunity to feel the effects of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike first-hand. Atlanta is currently experiencing a severe gasoline shortage. The shortage began almost two weeks ago and from what I heard from gas station owners, attendants, and customers, Georgians - and particularly Atlantans - should expect the shortage to last another one to two weeks longer.
This is a prime example of the inter-connectedness of our states and of the world in general. Here's what happened: when Hurricanes Gustav and Ike pummeled Houston and other Gulf coast locations, capacity in those oil refineries became severely impacted. I was told that last week the pipeline that delivers gas to Georgia was only at 30% capacity. Metro Atlanta gas stations are required to sell cleaner-burning fuel due to air quality problems in the city. Therefore, gas cannot be trucked in from other cities because these other cities tend to have looser environmental protections with regards to the gasoline used in cars.
After listening all weekend to friends' stories about waiting in long lines to fill up their cars, it was finally my time to experience this situation first-hand yesterday. My rental car was nearing empty so I searched for a station with gas. After passing 3 stations completely out of gas, I finally found one with limited supply still available. I joined a line stretching about 20 cars in length, all awaiting our turn to fill up our tanks. This station had several pumps so my wait was only about 20 minutes - not bad compared to the stories I'd heard of people waiting well over an hour to fill up their cars.
I observed one minor scuffle while filling up my gas tank. The station had blocked one of its entrances by lining up orange cones so cars would not enter. As a result there was one entrance into the station - hence the long line 20 cars deep. One rather impatient motorist decided to run over the cones and attempted to drive up to an empty pump. Quickly, the gas station attendant who was directing cars to available pumps sprung upon this guy's car and informed him he had cut the line. Within about half a minute, a shouting match had ensued. Eventually the motorist, huffing and puffing, returned into his car and proceeded to exit the station by driving over the remaining orange cones he hadn't knocked over during his entrance.
Since I was just visiting, I found the experience amusing. However, for Atlantans dealing with these hassles every day for weeks now, I have great sympathy. I heard stories about people running out of gas on the freeway. And stories of others arriving late to work because they'd spent over an hour in line so they could avoid running out of gas on the freeway. Hopefully the pipeline will return to full capacity in the near future. In the meantime, Atlanta vehicles will burn all the gas that's available to be burnt.
Follow Ben Arnon on Twitter: www.twitter.com/barnon
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
The governor says there is ample fuel in the city and the "panic is self induced".
THE GOVERNOR IS WRONG
[a] there is no panic
[b] I could find no gas today
Isn't this just what the strategic reserve is for? Why aren't they shipping us more gas- or is this a political move, there is a repub congressman and gov here, the congressman up for reelection has a slogan "tired of high gas prices, blame a democrat".
The governor says there is ample fuel in the city and the "panic is self induced".
The problem is supposedly not in the oil production, but in the gasoline production. Since the refineries apparently take more than a month to turn the power on, even if we were to release the SPR that wouldn't help with this....
I live in Atlanta.
Neighborhood gas stations now have cars backed up blocking traffic requiring police intervention.
People are running out of gas LOOKING for gas.
People are sleeping in their cars hoping to be first in line when tankers deliver fuel.
There is a maximum amount ($20 - $25) customers can purchase at some stations.
Some stations are accepting cash only payment.
Many cars left on the side of the road, Mercedes alongside jalopies.
Reminds me of back in early 2003. I was living in San Diego, CA at the time (stationed there with the US Navy). A pipeline broke between Arizona and Texas, so they were moving gas in from California to Arizona. During the three months that they were trying to fix it, gas prices in CA went up from around $1.35 to around $1.95. I went to visit my father in Phoenix during the height of the "crisis" and the prices had gone up from around $1.10 to around $1.15. I never could understand why the price went up so much in CA (which was NOT experiencing a shortage!!!) and so little in AZ (which WAS experiencing a shortage!)
As a former Atlantan, I feel the pain. Atlanta has made great strides in public transportation, but Atlanta isn't built on a grid, and traffic is ungodly as a result. Also, because of Atlanta being zoned like it is, you pretty much have to live in the suburbs and work in the city, and therefore have to commute, and most of the time that means in your car. This is a total mess. The city is going to have to suck it up and suspend the clean burning gas requirement temporarily and truck in some gas. Atlanta is too much of an economic force to be burdened by this. Of course, the other areas in the south impacted by the same pipeline have got to be feeling this too. Hang in there, Atlanta!
Yeah, Nashville has had problems as well, mostly for the same reason (air quality restrictions).
BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:
Big Oil = RICHER PROFITS THAN ALL CORPORATIONS COMBINED!
Big Finance corps. [deregulated] = biggest billions in corporate bonuses, golden parachutes for little accomplishment and destruction of their companies and the economy!
Always look at THE BOTTOM LINE to see who profits the most.
That's who paid to elect Bush-Cheney-Republicans.
ENJOY THE ECONOMIC CRASH: bailing out the RICHER THAN RICH.
if Georgia would fund public transportation, like most other states, we'd have enough commuter rails so people wouldn't have to drive their cars so much here in ATL. Also....there is ZERO push from the GA legislature to build bike paths and promote alternate ways to commute.
lived there for several years - worst case of urban sprawl in the country, i think.
i took marta train and buses from stone mtn to midtown - 1.5 hr commute.
We are having a gas shortage here in Upstate South Carolina as well. Long lines, closed pumps, ridiculous prices. It wouldn't surprise me at all if folks haven't been able to get to work reliably, since there is no public transportation to speak of. It can't be helping the retail sector, either.
Really interesting piece. My sister was going through the same ordeal in Houston with Ike hitting, with her own tales of a few scuffles just to get gas because some people were trying to buy up as much as they could. Hopefully things will get back on track. But this downward economic situation doesn't help one bit.
Kudos.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
