Maritime Trades ALF CIO
Search
Close this search box.

MTD, Port Councils Support Biden’s Call For Jones Act On Offshore Windfarms

blog-stock-new
The Maritime Trades Department and its Port Maritime Councils across
the United States are sending letters to the White House in support of
President Biden’s call for the Jones Act to oversee construction of
offshore wind power.

The show of solidarity comes in response to a U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) letter ruling on March 25 that work on the pristine
seabed of the Outer Continental Shelf is not covered under the Jones
Act, the nation’s freight cabotage law.

The CBP issued its decision exactly two months to the day of the
President’s “Buy American” executive order which specifically included
the Jones Act for the future work of offshore renewable energy
projects. The ruling also contradicts language in the Fiscal Year 2021
National Defense Authorization Act – passed by Congress – calling for
offshore windfarm development to be covered by the cabotage law.

In a letter dated April 27, MTD President Michael Sacco wrote Biden
urging “your action to correct a March 25 letter ruling by [CBP] that
would adversely affect thousands of future American jobs in the
offshore windfarm industry.”

Sacco stated MTD convention delegates as far back as 2009 approved a
resolution which called for American workers and companies to
construct and service such facilities and “do everything within their
power to ensure that the cabotage and other federal laws are applied
to the development of offshore renewable energy in all respects.”

Joining the MTD in explaining how members from affiliated seafaring,
shipbuilding and construction unions would be harmed by the CBP ruling
are Port Councils from San Francisco to South Florida, from New
Orleans to Cleveland, and ports in between.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Fill out the form below the get the latest updates

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Share this post