American Wind Energy Association Recognizes House Rules Committee for its leadership on National Defense Authorization Act and Jones Act

The House Rules Committee convened to consider expanding the Jones Act, the federal law that regulates maritime commerce in the United States, to cover construction at sea and potentially require U.S.-flagged installation vessels to service offshore wind projects  being built in federal waters. The introduction of this language would have severely impeded the progress of the offshore wind industry and created additional hardships to the already unique challenges the industry faces to move forward.  

"The offshore wind industry supports the Jones Act, supports creating opportunities for the domestic workforce and businesses, and supports the maritime shipbuilding industry as a key partner with a crucial role in the successful future of offshore wind in the United States," said Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA. "We recognize the value of the Jones Act that has protected America's waterways and mariners for centuries. And as the industry turns to what's next, we would like to see the federal permitting process for offshore wind projects move more swiftly into construction, releasing the industry to deliver on its promise of a long-term boom in job creation and U.S. investment with up to 83,000 jobs, and a brand new domestic supply chain over the next decade."

AWEA | www.awea.org