[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 4, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 46254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21283]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Office of the Secretary
Waiver of Compliance With Navigation Laws; Hurricane Maria
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.
ACTION: Notice.
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Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico resulting in widespread damage
to its infrastructure. In light of this devastation, the Department of
Defense (DoD) has requested a 10-day waiver of the Jones Act in the
interest of national defense, commencing immediately.
The Jones Act, 46 United States Code (U.S.C.) 55102, states ``a
vessel may not provide any part of the transportation of merchandise by
water, or by land and water, between points in the United States to
which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port''
unless the vessel was built in and documented under the laws of the
United States and is wholly owned by persons who are citizens of the
United States. Such a vessel, after obtaining a coastwise endorsement
from the U.S. Coast Guard, is ``coastwise-qualified.'' The coastwise
laws generally apply to points in the territorial sea, which is defined
as the belt, three nautical miles wide, seaward of the territorial sea
baseline, and to points located in internal waters, landward of the
territorial sea baseline.
The navigation laws, including the coastwise laws, can be waived
under the authority provided by 46 U.S.C. 501. The statute provides in
relevant part, ``On request of the Secretary of Defense, the head of an
agency responsible for the administration of the navigation or vessel-
inspection laws shall waive compliance with those laws to the extent
the Secretary considers necessary in the interest of national
defense.'' 46 U.S.C. 501(a).
For the reasons stated above, and in light of the request from the
Department of Defense, I am exercising my authority to waive the Jones
Act for a 10-day period, commencing immediately, to facilitate movement
of all products to be shipped from U.S. coastwise points to Puerto
Rico. This waiver applies to covered merchandise laded on board a
vessel within the 10-day period of the waiver and delivered by October
18, 2017. Carriers or shippers who conduct transportation pursuant to
this waiver should provide notice of the vessel, dates of embarkation
and disembarkation, type and quantity of cargo, and port of embarkation
to [email protected].
Executed this 28th day of September, 2017.
Elaine C. Duke,
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2017-21283 Filed 10-3-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P