“This is about protecting the citizens of the United States of
America and our own government is preventing us from doing
what’s right,” Simpson said.

the New Jersey Department of Transportation filed a request
with the DHS on Feb. 13 to waive the Merchant Marine Act of
1920 under the national security exception and allow a
foreign-flagged vessel to deliver the salt.

Um, so, ya.

This is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

So before the Dept. of Fatherland Security was created, who or what was
responsible for enforcing the Merchant Marine Act of 1920?

Since when is a barge flagged anyways? Doesn't a barge need to be
pushed around with a tug or some other vessel with a crew?

-----------------

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) – New Jersey was expected to receive a
critical supply of rock salt that was held up by the Department of
Homeland Security because it was being carried on a foreign ship.

On Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Cory Booker told WCBS 880?s Steve Scott that
he and Sen. Robert Menendez were able to work with federal authorities
to release the much-needed rock salt to the Garden State.

“Right now, with the critical crisis we have with storm after storm
after storm hitting our state, with cities and our state depleting their
supplies of rock salt, this is an urgent matter,” Booker said. “The
state’s going to be able to get the salt that it needs.”
play pause

State officials say a shipment of 40,000 tons of salt had been halted in
Maine because a foreign-flagged vessel was carrying the salt. According
to the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, ships carrying cargo between U.S.
ports must be carried on U.S.- flagged ships.

Booker said officials were able to find a smaller U.S.-flagged ship, so
while it won’t be able to bring the full load at once, a shipment of
road salt will likely arrive ahead of the next winter storm.

“I don’t have an exact time, and I don’t want to put one on because …
this is an evolving story,” he said. “But I know Sen. Menendez and I
will keep the pressure and heat on to make sure this is done as quickly
as possible. I’m feeling good about the progress we’re making and feel
hopeful about the weather ahead, but we want to be prepared for the
crisis.”
play pause

The senators noted in a letter to DHS that parts of New Jersey have been
hit with more than 70 inches of snow so far this winter.

“The roads are very clogged with ice and snow. Even worse [are] the
pathways, and not to have the salt creates an insecure environment for
all of us,” Elizabeth resident Peter Nelson told CBS 2?s Christine
Sloan.

In addition, the New Jersey Department of Transportation filed a request
with the DHS on Feb. 13 to waive the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 under
the national security exception and allow a foreign-flagged vessel to
deliver the salt.

“I am convinced that a waiver a couple of days ago would’ve had the salt
here already, so the faster we get a waiver, the faster we get the
salt,” New Jersey Assemblyman Jon Bramnick said. “I’m deeply troubled
that there hasn’t been a waiver.”

Booker said he’s been hearing from communities all across the state,
reporting they were dangerously low or completely out of road salt.

“Sometimes, it takes partnerships across a level of government as well
as across state boundaries to get something like this done,” the junior
senator said. “So I’m just grateful that it looks like we’re having some
breakthrough. It is a major public safety issue, and so I’m just happy
to see that this is going to have a good ending.”

New Jersey DOT Commissioner James Simpson said the salt shortage could
force him to close major roadways during storms if a long-term solution
isn’t banged out.

Simpson said the U.S. Department of Transportation told him it has found
two barges that could carry a total of 15,000 tons to New Jersey in
about three weeks.

“This is about protecting the citizens of the United States of America
and our own government is preventing us from doing what’s right,”
Simpson said.

DOT Spokesman Joe Dee said the state has used more than 370,000 tons of
salt as of Feb. 11, before last Thursday’s storm. That compares to
258,000 tons of salt used all of last winter.

A smaller U.S. vessel is scheduled to bring one-quarter of New Jersey’s
total order to the Garden State by this weekend. The barge will travel
back and forth from Maine several times, officials said..

“It’s not optimal, but right now it seems to be a way,” Booker told WCBS
880?s Marla Diamond.

In Jersey City, officials have been waiting for about 3,000 tons of salt
to arrive.

In the meantime, crews are working to clear areas in the state’s
second-largest city so that residents can have better access to
supermarkets, banks, pharmacies and other businesses.
play pause

The snow will be hauled to vacant city, county and state properties,
officials said.

“We thank residents for their patience during what has been one of the
harshest winters on record,” Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said in a
statement. “With everyone’s cooperation, this can be a seamless process
that will help improve the mobility of both pedestrians and motorists as
well as ease parking conditions.”


http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/02/...salt-shortage/