The Jones Act keeps energy-hungry Alaskans from using their own natural gas.
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Alaskaisacoldstatewhereresidentsneedenergytokeepthechillatbay.Fortunately,thestateisblessedwithnaturalresources,includingabundantoilandnaturalgasthatcanhelpsatisfythatneed.Unfortunately,asI’vewrittenbefore,anationalistic,century-oldlawrequiresthatshippingbetweenAmericanportsbeconductedonlybyU.S.–builtand–flaggedships.Andtherearen’tanyliquidnaturalgastankersthatsatisfytherequirement.NowAlaskaofficialsareseekingawaiversotheycanusetheirownresourcestoresolveagrowingenergycrunch.
Resource-RichbutStarvedforEnergy“Alaskaisfacinganacuteenergyshortage,”stateSen.RobertMyers(R–Fairbanks)toldaStateSenateTransportationCommitteehearingonhisproposedwaiverresolutiononMarch20.“TheAlaskaDepartmentofNaturalResourceshasprojectedshortfallsintheCookInletnaturalgassupplybeginningintheverynearfuture.Assuch,variousutilitiesarenowdiscussingliquefiednaturalgasimportstosolvethecrisis.Alaskaisinauniquequanda
