No, It Won’t Rain, But Hurricane Harvey Will Still Impact Mainers Starting This Weekend
It's not going to rain, flood, or cause wind damage. In fact, the remnants of what used to be Hurricane Harvey are long gone.
What isn't gone is the economic impact of the storm.
While millions of people in Texas and Louisiana are drying out and trying to put their lives back together, an economic storm is headed for the rest of the country.
According to the Associated Press, Hurricane Harvey has potentially cut U.S. fuel-making capacity to the lowest level since 2008. Drivers, particularly along the east coast, will notice a substantial increase in the cost of gas this weekend, just in time for Labor Day.
From the AP article in the Lewiston Sun Journal:
Fuel prices at the pump are likely to climb after Colonial Pipeline, the largest U.S. gasoline conduit, was forced shut its main diesel line late Wednesday and planned to halt its gasoline line Thursday because about half of Gulf Coast refining capacity was offline. Valero Energy Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc, both major Gulf Coast refiners, told wholesale customers Wednesday they don't have enough gasoline and diesel to sell retail suppliers.
That's not good! Read the full story in the Sun Journal here.
While we're suffering this mild and temporary inconvenience, there are thousands of people in Texas and Louisiana who are really suffering, and need our help right now. Here's a link to donate securely to the Red Cross and help the victims of the storm who need it the most.