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Jones Act enforced by US House of Representatives

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 29/09/2020 U.S House of Representatives
The US House of Representatives has passed the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act (H.R. 4447), which seeks to push investment in clean energy and clean energy jobs. It included an amendment from Congressman John Garamendi which enforces Jones Act requirements for all offshore renewable energy production.

Garamendi’s amendment clarifies that the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, a 1953 law governing offshore mineral and energy development, applies to lease sales for non-fossil fuel energy sources such as wind power, hydrokinetic, or ocean thermal energy conversion.

The Jones Act is a federal law that regulates maritime commerce in the United States. The Jones Act requires goods shipped between US ports to be transported on ships that are built, owned, and operated by United States citizens or permanent residents.

“Offshore wind development will play a critical role in our nation’s transition to a clean energy economy,”
Garamendi said. “Demand for offshore wind development in federal waters is strong, and Congress must act to ensure this burgeoning industry abides by federal laws and regulations including the Jones Act so we have the strongest possible labor and environmental protections.


“My commonsense amendment simply clarifies that all existing requirements that govern offshore oil and natural gas extraction also apply to renewables. This will enable our domestic maritime industry to support the renewable energy industry and provide a critical economic stimulus for our nation."


The Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act will now be passed to the Senate and if approved it will find itself on the President's desk for for consideration.


Offshore wind is taking off in the US, particularly along the east coast, with states targeting at least over 20 GW of offshore wind energy by 2035. A number of offshore wind projects are proposed off the coasts of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Virginia. So far, only two projects have hit the water,
Block Island which was commissioned in 2017 and Coastal Virginia which recently completed construction and is undergoing commissioning.

For more information on offshore wind farms worldwide, click here.

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