DOVER — In what legal scholars are calling "the most consequential executive action in Delaware history," Governor Randall Finch signed an emergency order Tuesday designating all 47 Wawa locations across the First State as critical infrastructure, granting them the same protected status as bridges, power grids, and the single functioning escalator at the Christiana Mall.

"Delawareans depend on Wawa the way they depend on clean water," the governor said at a press conference held, naturally, in the parking lot of the Dover Wawa on Route 13. "You cannot ask a person to function — to truly function — without access to a Shorti at 2 in the afternoon."

Under the executive order, Wawa locations may not be closed, rezoned, or "subjected to any municipal mischief" without a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly. The order also establishes a new state agency, the Office of Hoagie Continuity, tasked with ensuring that no Delaware resident lives more than four miles from a functioning touchscreen ordering kiosk.

The order further mandates that all state employees receive a laminated "Wawa Preparedness Card" explaining what to do in the event of a regional hoagie shortage, including designated backup locations and a hotline staffed by trained counselors.

The order drew swift praise from both sides of the aisle, a rare occurrence in Dover.

"I've been saying this for years," said State Senator Donna Plank (D-Wilmington). "You want bipartisan unity? Put a Wawa on the table. Literally. Put a hoagie on the table."

Republican House Minority Leader Ted Grubb called the order "long overdue," adding that he had personally driven to a Pennsylvania Wawa during a 2019 snowstorm and "would not wish that on anyone."

The lone dissenting voice came from State Representative Carl Mott (R-Seaford), who argued the designation should also include Royal Farms. He was escorted from the press conference.

A spokesperson for Wawa Inc. released a brief statement thanking the governor and confirming that the company "remains committed to serving the Delaware community with fresh food, quality beverages, and an inexplicable number of parking lot encounters."

The company also noted that it had no plans to close any Delaware locations, making the executive order largely symbolic — a detail the governor's office acknowledged but described as "beside the point."

The Office of Hoagie Continuity is expected to be fully staffed by spring, pending a budget allocation currently tied up in a separate dispute over whether the state seal should be updated to include a coffee cup.

Legal challenges are anticipated from a coalition of competing convenience store chains, though attorneys familiar with Delaware courts say the case is unlikely to gain traction given that three of the five Superior Court judges are known Wawa regulars.

The governor concluded his remarks by ordering a turkey and provolone on white, no onions, extra pickles — a choice his communications director later described as "deeply presidential."