Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille
“Alaska is a cold state where residents need energy to keep the chill at bay. Fortunately, the state is blessed with natural resources, including abundant oil and natural gas that can help satisfy that need. Unfortunately, as I’ve written before, a nationalistic, century-old law requires that shipping between American ports be conducted only by U.S.-built and -flagged ships. And there aren’t any liquid natural gas tankers that satisfy the requirement. Now Alaska officials are seeking a waiver so they can use their own resources to resolve a growing energy crunch. … There’s no practical reason the gas can’t be transported by tanker from the North Slope wells to the users in the state’s populated areas. But there’s a big legal barrier.” (03/26/25)