NPGA, congressman discuss Jones Act

U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-New York, joined more than two dozen National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) members and New York constituents for a conference call hosted by NPGA’s PropanePAC, according to the NPGA Reports e-newsletter.

Faso, who sits on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and is also a member of the Congressional Propane Caucus, discussed his support for amending the Jones Act, particularly as it relates to providing reliable energy supply to upstate New York and to the Northeast region as a whole. The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, requires that goods shipped between American ports be carried on U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged vessels.

NPGA says allowing ships to take propane from Gulf Coast storage facilities to needed areas on the East Coast and New England would be extremely helpful in emergency situations, but a Jones Act-compliant propane transport ship does not exist. Some in Congress have broached the topic of amending the Jones Act, Faso says, but easing or repealing its rules will be difficult due to strong bipartisan support and maritime interests.