Eric Lee is an Associate and J. Michael Cavanaugh is a Partner in our Washington DC office
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke on Sept. 28, 2017, approved a waiver of the Jones Act in response to the severe impact Hurricanes Irma and Maria have had on Puerto Rico. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had temporarily waived the Jones Act on Sept. 8, 2017, for certain moves and commodities after Hurricane Harvey struck Houston. The approval of the Jones Act waiver comes at the request of Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló.
The DHS press release notes that the waiver will be in effect for 10 days after it is signed and it will cover shipment of "all products" to the island. The waiver applies to covered merchandise laded on board a vessel within the 10-day period and delivered by Oct. 18, 2017. Duke said that the waiver is intended to ensure Puerto Rico receives "enough fuel and commodities to support lifesaving efforts, respond to the storm, and restore critical services and critical infrastructure operations in the wake of these devastating storms."
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