The Biden administration past due on Sunday approved a waiver of U.S. Shipping rules to address Puerto Rico’s pressing need for liquefied natural gas (LNG) after Hurricane Fiona.
The Homeland Security Department (DHS) issued a waiver of the Jones Act, a century-vintage regulation that calls for items moved between U.S. Ports to be carried with the aid of U.S.-flagged ships “to deal with Puerto Rico’s needs as recuperation efforts from Hurricane Fiona continue,” the branch said.
In overdue September, the DHS authorized a Jones Act waiver to ensure Puerto Rico had “enough diesel to run turbines wanted for energy and the functioning of critical centers.”
Hurricane Fiona hit on Sept. 18, causing an island-huge power outage for its 3.3 million humans.
Last month, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi asked the White House for a waiver to growth the provision of gasoline after the typhoon.
A institution of 8 House lawmakers had asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for “a one-yr waiver from the Jones Act for Puerto Rico” which faces “an exceptional uphill battle to rebuild its homes, businesses, and groups.”
Mayorkas said Sunday’s LNG waiver selection changed into made – just like the one in September – after consultations with the departments of transportation and electricity “to assess the justification for the waiver request and based totally on input from the Governor of Puerto Rico and others on the ground assisting recuperation efforts.”
He stated that in 2020, Congress eliminated the U.S. Authorities’s authority to issue lengthy-term complete waivers besides if required to “cope with an instantaneous unfavorable impact on military operations.” All different waivers, DHS stated, “need to be reviewed on a case-with the aid of-case basis.”
In 2017, DHS underneath then President Donald Trump waived the Jones Act requirements for one week to permit oil and gas operators to make certain enough gas reached emergency responders for the duration of Hurricane Irma and following Hurricane Harvey.
References
1.msn.com
