DHS issues rare Jones Act waiver for hurricane relief

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday approved a seven-day waiver of Jones Act rules to expand the options for delivering fuel to states and territories impacted by the recent hurricanes to strike the Texas Gulf coast and Florida.    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday approved a seven-day waiver of the Jones Act to expand the options for delivering fuel to states and territories impacted by the recent hurricanes to strike the Texas Gulf coast and Florida.
   The Jones Act requires the cargoes moving between ports in the domestic waterborne trades to be moved on U.S.-flag vessels. However, the Defense and Energy departments requested the temporary Jones Act waiver to assist with the hurricane aftermath.
   “This is a precautionary measure to ensure we have enough fuel to support lifesaving efforts, respond to the storm, and restore critical services and critical infrastructure operations in the wake of this potentially devastating storm,” said Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke in a statement.
   She noted that the Hurricane Harvey “significantly disrupted the distribution of fuel across the Southeastern states.”
   The last time that a Jones Act waiver was issued occurred in December 2012 in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to help facilitate the rapid delivery petroleum products.