WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) The Biden administration has granted a waiver to allow Puerto Rico to import much-needed diesel fuel following damage caused by Hurricane Fiona this past weekend, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said.
"In response to urgent and immediate needs of the Puerto Rican people in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, I have approved a temporary and targeted Jones Act waiver to ensure that the people of Puerto Rico have sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning critical facilities as they recover from Hurricane Fiona," Mayorkas said in a press release on Wednesday.
Hurricane Fiona swept Puerto Rico on Sunday causing a power outage across the entire territory of the island. The hurricane was accompanied by record rainfall with up to 1,000 millimetres (39.37 inches) of precipitation in some regions.
The Jones Act prevented a ship carrying 300,000 barrels of diesel to unload its cargo in Puerto Rico, media reported. The act requires shipping between US ports to be conducted by American-flagged vessels.
