A lot of old oil-burning power plants are being converted to natural gas.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the United States are booming, and, in 2017, after 60 years of being a net importer of natural gas, we became a net exporter. Ships are leaving American ports loaded with LNG for countries all over the planet, but they cannot deliver to Puerto Rico, specifically because it is part of the United States. The 1920 Jones Act restricts the transportation of cargo between two American ports to ships that are U.S.-built, U.S.-crewed, U.S.-owned, and U.S. flagged. However, as the government of Puerto Rico noted in its waiver request: “of the 478 LNG carriers that currently exist in the world, none are Jones Act eligible.” Thus, without a waiver, Puerto Rico simply cannot transport American LNG to Puerto Rico.
We’ve got more than we know what to do with but can’t send it to one of our own territories.
The opposition to granting this limited waiver to the Jones Act is being advanced by members of Congress who represent shipbuilding interests. Shipbuilders have long feared that any crack in the Jones Act will lead to its eventual repeal and force them to compete directly with lower-cost foreign competitors. Such an argument rings hollow given that there are no American shipbuilders constructing oceangoing LNG carriers, nor have any expressed any intent to do so.
“Members of Congress.” Meaning from BOTH parties. They care more about lining their own pockets than seeing to the welfare of an island dependent upon us.
More @ Trump Should Waive Jones Act for Puerto Rico, Let Them Buy American Energy
