WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The government on Friday sought to ease the fuel crunch paralyzing the storm-struck Northeast saying the military would buy motor fuel and truck it there and allow foreign tankers from the Gulf of Mexico to deliver oil products.

The Department of Homeland Security waived the Jones Act, a law that normally prohibits foreign-flagged vessels from shipping gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products, from the Gulf of Mexico to Northeastern ports. The waiver, effective immediately, requires shipments to leave the Gulf region by November 13 and arrive in the Northeast within a week.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Friday sought to ease the fuel crunch that hit the Northeast after Hurricane Sandy, saying it would provide emergency responders with diesel from national reserves, and also allowing foreign tankers in the Gulf of Mexico to bring fuel to the region.

The Department of Homeland Security waived the Jones Act, a law that normally prohibits foreign-flagged vessels from shipping gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products, from the Gulf of Mexico to Northeastern ports. The waiver, effective immediately, requires shipments to leave the Gulf region by November 13 and arrive in the Northeast within a week.

WASHINGTON, Nov 2 (Reuters) – The U.S. government issued a
rare waiver on Friday allowing foreign tankers from the Gulf of
Mexico to supply the Northeast with fuel after Hurricane Sandy,
but the extent of relief was uncertain since some ports in the
region still lack power.

The Department of Homeland Security’s waiver of the Jones
Act allows foreign vessels to begin shipping petroleum products,
such as gasoline and diesel, from the Gulf of Mexico to
Northeastern ports effective immediately and running through
Nov. 13.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States needs to reconsider its rules on exporting natural gas – even to countries with which it has free trade agreements – now that a surge in drilling has made the nation one of the world’s fastest-growing producers, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said on Thursday.

Advanced drilling techniques have allowed energy companies to tap vast shale gas reserves, opening the door to U.S. exports after years of projections that the United States would have to rely on foreign gas to meet its energy needs.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two Republican senators asked U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Thursday for a thorough review of a Chinese company’s plan to acquire bankrupt battery maker A123 (AONE.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), saying military and taxpayer-funded technology must be protected.

China’s Wanxiang Group Corp is currently locked in a battle with U.S.-based Johnson Controls Inc (JCI.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to buy A123, which makes lithium ion batteries for electric cars.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Backers of liquefied natural gas will launch the first major campaign on Monday to press lawmakers to allow the sale of more U.S. gas abroad, as the industry push for exports intensifies.

The effort by the Centre for Liquefied Natural Gas will include a new web site and outreach aimed at policymakers and the public, making the case that selling the nation’s surplus natural gas to foreign countries will yield significant economic benefits and not drastically raise prices.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Backers of liquefied natural gas will launch the first major campaign on Monday to press lawmakers to allow the sale of more U.S. gas abroad, as the industry push for exports intensifies.

The effort by the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas will include a new web site and outreach aimed at policymakers and the public, making the case that selling the nation’s surplus natural gas to foreign countries will yield significant economic benefits and not drastically raise prices.

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) – Backers of liquefied natural
gas will launch the first major campaign on Monday to press
lawmakers to allow the sale of more U.S. gas abroad, as the
industry push for exports intensifies.

The effort by the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas will
include a new web site and outreach aimed at policymakers and
the public, making the case that selling the nation’s surplus
natural gas to foreign countries will yield significant economic
benefits and not drastically raise prices.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – After a hot spring and a scorching summer, this winter is likely to continue a U.S. warming trend that could make 2012 the hottest year since modern record-keeping began, U.S. weather experts said Thursday.

Drought that ravaged much of the United States this year may spread in the coming months, said Mike Halpert at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.

WASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) – The Interior Department said
Thursday it plans to offer up 4.5 million acres of Arctic land
for oil and gas production next month, as the Obama
administration’s energy policies face more scrutiny ahead of the
November elections.

The Nov. 7 lease sale, a day after the presidential
election, will include 400 tracts in the National Petroleum
Reserve-Alaska, an area set aside by the government for oil and
gas development.