Hack Exposes Vulnerability Of America’s Energy Supply Lines
Colonial Pipeline’s shutdown of its 5,500-mile pipeline Friday after a ransomware attack brought attention to the vulnerability of the energy infrastructure on which the country relies. The New York Times reported Sunday that it was unclear when the pipeline, which carries nearly half of the East Coast’s fuel supplies, would reopen.
This is not the first time the public’s attention has been turned to the things that can go wrong with the energy supply. In 2016, BirminghamWatch’s Hank Black wrote about the pipelines that run through the state and the Southeast. Here’s an excerpt:
By Hank Black, September 23, 2016
The Colonial Pipeline gasoline spill in Shelby County was a wake-up call for the public and the government about just how critical oil and gas pipelines are to America’s energy supply needs, and how such an incident could impact the environment.
The Cahaba River Society said the spill “very narrowly missed” entering the river, less than a mile away. CRS field director Randy Haddock, PhD, said pipeline safety isn’t top-of-mind until a significant incident occurs. “As the acute phase of this event ends, we expect to start having conversations” among advocacy groups, industry, government, and others about how to prevent or limit damage when another incident occurs, Haddock said. Some experts say the 50-year average age of the nation’s pipelines is cause for concern.
Alabama has 6,748 miles of interstate pipeline, plus more than 57,000 miles of smaller main and service lines that distribute product from a transmission pipeline. By comparison, Mississippi has 10,450 miles of interstate pipe, and Arkansas has 7,212 miles. Read the full story here.
Home sales just posted their biggest monthly fall since 2022
More inventory hitting the market was expected to drive sales. Instead, existing home sales suggest a continued slump in the housing market, with mortgage rates hurting affordability.
Judge pauses parts of Trump’s sweeping executive order on voting
A federal judge has paused a key section of President Trump's executive order that makes sweeping changes to voting and elections.
After nearly 50 years cooped up inside, Rockalina the turtle finds the great outdoors
Rockalina was an adult eastern box turtle living in the wild when she was taken into a New York home in 1977. When a reptile rehabilitation center got a hold of her this February, they worried for her survival.
India-Pakistan tensions escalate after deadly Kashmir attack
A day after India suspended a water-sharing treaty and downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan, authorities in Islamabad closed airspace to Indian aircraft and suspended all trade with India.
Fyre Festival’s embattled founder is selling the brand: ‘It’s time to pass the torch’
Billy McFarland says he will sell the brand "to an operator that can fully realize its vision." The news comes days after the postponement of Fyre Festival 2, which was scheduled for late May.
House oversight committee demands answers on gutting of CDC public records office
House Rep. Gerry Connolly is pushing CDC leadership to explain why the personnel who handle FOIA requests lost their jobs, noting that that the public has a right to access federal records.
