News and information about the worldwide dredging industry
News & Updates
Updated regularly, this area contains short takes of breaking news items and articles in IDR Online. Full stories are available in Features, with a paid online access account.
| July 20, 2010 - AGC Says Construction Employment Close to Stabilizing | |
 | Construction employment edged closer to stabilizing in June, as half the states either added construction jobs or kept the same number as in May, the Associated General Contractors reported in an analysis of federal employment data released today. Compared to June 2009, construction employment rose in six states, the largest number of states to post year-over-year increases since October 2008. |
| July 13, 2010 - Jewel Fisher Dies | |
| Jewel Fisher, former partner with her husband King in Kingfisher Marine Services, died on Monday, July 12, 2010 at her home in Port Lavaca, Texas. She was 91. Her children included daughters Linda (Mrs. Tim) Laquay, former co-owner of T.W. LaQuay Dredging, and Mrs. Waymon Boyd, wife of Waymon Boyd, who is vice chairman of Kingfisher Marine Service. A host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren will remember Mrs. Fisher with love. Mrs. Fisher was involved in the management of Kingfisher Marine Services for the 58-years of the Fishers' ownership of the company. Mrs. Fisher had a rich history of community involvement - she served on many community boards, including the hospital board, and gave tirelessly of her time to many community activities. Mrs. Fisher always pursued personal achievements as well. She was the first certified woman pilot in Calhoun County Texas. She remained a voracious reader, often reading two books each week until her passing. Services in Port Lavaca, Texas on July 15, 2010. |
| July 3, 2010 - Corps Denies Permit for Rock Dikes in Barataria Bay | |
| Today, July 3, 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District commander Col. Al Lee denied a Jefferson Parish request to build rock dikes in the Barataria Basin. In a letter to Jefferson Parish, Col. Lee offered (in part) the following explanation: “My effort to facilitate a decision that best serves the public interest required careful review of the supporting documentation you furnished and affording state and federal resource agencies and the scientific community an opportunity to provide meaningful input on the proposed action. Additionally, scientists and engineers of the New Orleans District, Mississippi Valley Division and Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) conducted a technical assessment of the effects these structures would likely have on coastal processes, the attendant consequences for the Barataria Bay estuarine system, and relative benefit derived from these structures in reducing the intrusion of oil into the estuary. The findings I have reached based on close examination of the project and comments received from agency coordination raise very serious concern with granting authorization to perform this work in accordance with our emergency permit provisions.” |
| July 1, 2010 - Woods Hole vessel Studying Oil Plumes in Gulf of Mexico | |
| A multidisciplinary team of investigators from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution embarked June 17 on a twelve-day research effort in the Gulf of Mexico aboard the R/V Endeavor, conducting three simultaneous projects funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF) “RAPID” program. The projects aim to characterize subsurface oil plumes extending from the Deepwater Horizon well head using novel technology and the latest in biogeochemical techniques. The research should help answer looming questions about the fate of oil released into the water, examining the physical extent, chemical composition, and biological impact of subsea plumes. "The project has been implemented in a remarkably short period of time, deploying some of the most advanced technology available for underwater chemical sampling, and underwater autonomous vehicles," said Phillip Taylor, acting director of NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences. "The effort is another example of research scientists stepping up quickly to address the crucial and challenging questions about the fate and environmental consequences of the spilled oil." |
| July 1, 2010 - Orion Marine Group Closes $75 Million Revolving Credit Facility | |
| Orion Marine Group, Inc. (NYSE: ORN) has entered into a new $75 million revolving credit facility. An additional $25 million is available under the facility subject to the lenders’ discretion. This new facility replaces the existing debt facility that would have matured in September of this year. The new credit facility may be used to fund acquisitions, finance working capital, repay indebtedness, and other general corporate purposes. The facility matures on June 30, 2013, and is guaranteed by the Company’s subsidiaries. "We are pleased with the support from our banks for this new, larger facility," said Mark Stauffer, Orion Marine Group's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "The increase in the new facility will provide us the flexibility we need to remain opportunistic and meet future growth needs." Wells Fargo Securities, LLC. acted as sole lead arranger and bookrunner for the facility. |
| June 30, 2010 - 294 out of 337 Metro Areas Lose Construction Jobs Between May 2009 and May 2010 | |
| 294 out of 337 Metro Areas Lose Construction Jobs Between May 2009 and May 2010, reflecting weak demand and oerdue infrastructure bills, according to a report issued by the Associated General Contractors. The construction segment of the economy reflects directly on the health of the aggregates industry, a significant user of dredging equipment. Association officials urged Congress and the Obama Administration to quickly pass a number of multi-year infrastructure bills so construction firms can adjust their payrolls to meet future demand. They noted that with legislation that sets funding levels for the nation’s highways, transit systems, airports, waterways, drinking and sewer systems all months overdue, contractors are hesitant to expand payrolls. Most Jobs Added in Columbus, Ohio While Eau Claire, Wisconsin Has Highest Rate of Job Growth; Chico, California Has Highest Rate of Decline and Chicago Loses Most Jobs Construction employment continued to suffer significant declines in the majority of metropolitan areas according to an analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. The figures reflect continued weak private, state and local demand as well as a lack of long-term projects caused by stalled federal infrastructure bills, association officials noted. “With current demand soft and chances of a turnaround months away, construction firms are unwilling to expand payrolls,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Contractors know there’s nothing to take up the slack once the stimulus runs its course.” Simonson noted that construction employment declined in 294 metropolitan areas between May 2009 and May 2010, increased in 16 metro areas, and held steady in another 27. He added that 11 metro areas have lost over 10,000 construction jobs each during the past 12 months, while one-in-three cities added 1,000 or more jobs during the same period. Chicago lost the most construction jobs between May 2009 and 2010 (21,900, 16 percent), followed by Houston, Texas (18,400 jobs, 10 percent) and Los Angeles-Long Beach (17,300 jobs, 15 percent). Chico, California experienced the largest percentage decrease in construction employment (33 percent, 900 jobs), followed by Flagstaff, Arizona (32 percent, 700 jobs); Pascagoula, Mississippi (31 percent, 1,900 jobs); Monroe, Michigan (29 percent, 700 jobs); and Lewiston, along the Idaho-Washington border (25 percent, 300 jobs). Columbus, Ohio, added the highest number of construction jobs during the past year (1,500 jobs, 5 percent), followed by Kansas City, Kansas (1,100 jobs, 6 percent) and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (1,000 jobs, 4 percent). Two metro areas recorded double-digit percentage gains in construction employment: Eau Claire, Wisconsin (17 percent, 500 jobs) and Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury along the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border (11 percent, 400 jobs). Association officials urged Congress and the Obama Administration to quickly pass a number of multi-year infrastructure bills so construction firms can adjust their payrolls to meet future demand. They noted that with legislation that sets funding levels for the nation’s highways, transit systems, airports, waterways, drinking and sewer systems all months overdue, contractors are hesitant to expand payrolls. |
| June 28, 2010 - Statement of Maritime Cabotage Task Force Opposing S. 3525, Legislation to Repeal Jones Act | |
| "We oppose this legislation. All the McCain bill would do is put more Americans out of work. "The McCain bill proposes to eliminate the very American industry that is helping to clean up the spill - an industry that supports 500,000 U.S. jobs - and outsource that work to foreign workers and foreign companies registered in nations like Liberia and the Marshall Islands that operate outside of American law. Using a spill caused by foreign companies as a pretext to bring in more foreign companies is a backward approach. It makes as much sense as replacing the American workers currently cleaning up the Gulf beaches with foreign companies and foreign workers. "The McCain legislation is based on the completely false claim that the Jones Act is hindering the Gulf clean-up effort. The Coast Guard and National Incident Command have unambiguously rejected that idea. They should know the truth better than anyone. While there is a critical shortage of supplies like skimmers and boom, scores of large American vessels are standing by in the Gulf ready to deploy these supplies and equipment as they become available. Specialized foreign oil spill response vessels are welcome and already working -- they either do not need a Jones Act waiver, or can get one without delay. "Finally, the McCain bill is based on studies that are outdated and widely discredited. Long ago, the U.S. Government Accountability Office in response to a request from Senator McCain reviewed those same studies and advised the Senator that they failed to accurately assess the costs and benefits of the Jones Act." |
| June 28, 2010 - Port of Houston Commissioners to Consider Berth Dredging | |
| At its meeting on Tuesday, June 29, the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority will consider nearly $2 million for maintenance dredging of the Authority's berths at its terminals along the Houston Ship Channel and a $68,000 Texas Transportation Institute study to evaluate the economic impacts of the lack of dredging. Chairman Jim Edmonds will preside over the meeting, with Commissioners Steve Phelps, Jim Fonteno, Kase Lawal, Jimmy Burke, Janiece Longoria, and Elyse Lanier attending. |
| June 28, 2010 - VeruTEK Submits 'Green' Dispersant for Oil Spill Approval | |
| VeruTEK Technologies, Inc. of Bloomfield, Connecticut has submitted its VeruSOL Marine product family to the National Contingency Plan use in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. VeruSOL Marine is an environmentally-friendly dispersant derived from plant materials. It contains no solvents, alcohols or ethers. Recently-released aquatic toxicology results have proven the product’s safety. VeruSOL Marine treated areas are not harmful to workers or the local population. It is a fast-acting plant-based solution that is a biofriendly, biodegradable surfactant/oxidizer that cleans water, rock, sand, soil and building materials impacted by spilled oil. It associates directly with oil upon contact to emulsify then to facilitate destruction of oil, restoring a clean environment, not simply moving or absorbing the problem. Oil is emulsified into particles that are destroyed quickly by natural forces - the sun and bacteria. Independent lab results verified that VeruSOL Marine exceeds EPA National Contingency Plan (NCP) toxicology safety requirements. Testing documented very low toxicity levels, making the solution both safer and more effective than products currently used in the Gulf. One of the VeruTEK dispersants, VeruSOL Marine 300, was shown to be more than 30 times safer (791.2mg/L vs 25.2mg/L) than either of the two COREXIT dispersants in toxicity when tested with fish (Mendida berylilina). When tested with shrimp, VeruSOL Marine 300 was more than 10 times safer (444.2 mg/L vs 32.23 mg/L). The VeruSOL dispersants are safe for plants, wetlands, mammals and people. VeruSOLVE Marine works via a patent pending process called Surfactant-Enhanced Chemical Oxidation, which destroys oil on contact. It is delivered ready to use, and can be applied using standard spray equipment, which is ideal for treating access-limited areas and wetlands. The company has strategic partners in the Gulf, ready to deploy the product. "We believe VeruSOL and VeruSOLVE products can make a significant contribution in safely cleaning beaches and marshes in the Gulf," said John Collins, chief executive officer of VeruTEK. |
| June 25, 2010 - McCain Moves to Repeal Jones Act | |
| The Maritime Executive today reported that Senator John McCain has introduced legislation to repeal the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act. McCain called the act “a law that hinders free trade and favors labor unions over consumers.” In the article, Sen. McCain claimed that the U.S. turned down offers of overseas help in responding to the Deepwater Horizon disaster on April 20, citing the restrictions of the Merchant Marine Act. |
| June 23, 2010 - Task Force Answers Jones Act Questions | |
| The Maritime Cabotage Task Force has issued a document with frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act, and its application to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The questions and answers refer to the use of foreign vessels in U.S. waters, and point out that since the Jones Act does not apply outside the three-mile limit, and all the skimming operations are taking place outside that limit, the Jones Act is not a factor in accepting the aid of foreign-owned vessels in that part of the cleanup. (See the complete document in the Features section of this Web site.) |
| June 23, 2010 - Dredging in Reach E-4 Temporarily Halted | |
| The United States Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District, in close coordination with its federal partners, the State of Louisiana and the Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure Group, directed a temporary halt to dredging operations in the littoral system of Reach E-4 near the Chandeleur Islands until additional pipeline is in place to allow dredging from the approved borrow site in Hewes Point. “The littoral zone supports currents that carry sediment and organic material critical to the integrity of the natural barrier islands,” stated New Orleans District Commander Col. Alvin Lee. “Dredging in this area could have long term effects on the viability of the Chandeleur Islands.” This decision follows the expiration at midnight last night of a temporary request granted by the Corps that authorized the State to proceed with the first 2,000 feet of Reach E4 using borrow from the littoral system. The June 13, 2010 request allowed the state one week to temporarily dredge from the littoral system and then immediately backfill the area. In determining the best course of action, the New Orleans district and its federal partners carefully considered the following alternatives: Option 1: Temporarily halt operations of the Dredge California and use its crew and vessels to move the additional 7,000 feet of pipeline in place prior to initiating dredging operations. The estimated required time to move this additional dredging pipeline into place in order to effect dredging from the approved site in Hewes Point is 5-7 days after tomorrow. The dredge downtime is approximately 5-7 days. The reason the duration for this option is shorter that Option 2 is that the Dredge California crew would also be assembling the dredge pipeline simultaneously with the pipeline crew. Option 2: Allow the Dredge California to continue dredging from the temporary dredging area for an additional 8-9 days while the additional 7,000 feet of dredged pipeline is being assembled. The amount of additional material removed from the temporary dredging area would be approximately 800,000-900,000 cubic yards. The dredge downtime is approximately 1-2 days. This option assumes the single crew assembling the dredging pipeline. “Scientists and engineers from the Corps of Engineers, USGS and other federal resource agencies have shared concerns in allowing the continuation of dredging in the littoral system,” stated New Orleans District Commander Col. Al Lee. “Among the concerns is that the removal of material in this area will create additional erosion issues and possible deterioration of the Chandeleur Islands. Option 1 was selected because it provided no additional removal of sediment from the littoral zone while still allowing the flexibility needed to ensure the project is completed in a timely manner. The New Orleans District will continue to work very closely with the State of Louisiana, their contractor Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure Group and our Federal partners, to ensure timely execution of this project. |
| June 21, 2010 - Jones Act Not Inhibiting Use of Oil Spill Response Vessels | |
| There has been “no case” where the federal government has refused use of foreign vessels in the Gulf oil spill clean-up because of the Jones Act, according to a statement released by the National Incident Command (NIC). Some have criticized the Jones Act, which requires the use of American vessels for transportation in domestic commerce, for hindering the Gulf clean-up. Not true, said the NIC and the Coast Guard. “In no case has the Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC) or Unified Area Command declined to request assistance or accept offers of assistance of foreign vessels that meet an operational need because the Jones Act was implicated,” said a June 17 NIC Fact Sheet. The NIC Fact Sheet noted that foreign vessels from many nations are already working in the Gulf. The Jones Act only applies within three miles of shore. Therefore, foreign skimmers, along with American skimmers, are already at work beyond three miles. The Deepwater Horizon spill is occurring 50 miles from shore, and the vast majority of oil is beyond 3 miles. In addition, the Coast Guard’s FOSC last week issued a determination allowing the deployment of foreign skimmers within three miles because of the need for unprecedented numbers of skimmers. Many American skimming vessels are already skimming in the Gulf and many more are standing by available but unused so far. Federal law always permits waivers of the Jones Act to allow foreign vessels when no American vessel is available. The NIC has instituted streamlined procedures to ensure that such waiver requests are considered quickly during the Gulf crisis. However, “To date, no waivers of the Jones Act … has been required because none of the foreign vessels currently operating as part of the … response has required such a waiver,” the NIC said on June 17. The Maritime Cabotage Task Force (MCTF), a national coalition of the American shipping and shipyard industry, called the criticisms of the Jones Act “unfounded.” The MCTF said, “The American shipping industry cares deeply about the Gulf and has launched an all-hands-on-deck effort to help with the Gulf clean-up and more American vessels are standing by, eager to help. The Jones Act is no impediment to the clean-up for all the reasons outlined by the NIC and has not been an impediment to the use of foreign skimmers and other foreign vessels in the Gulf.” |
| June 17, 2010 - EPA Puts Gowanus Canal on Superfund Priorities List | |
| On March 2, 2010, EPA added the Gowanus Canal to the Agency’s Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). Placing the Canal on the list allows the agency to further investigate contamination at the site and develop an approach to address the contamination. The Gowanus Canal, in Brooklyn, New York, is bounded by several communities including Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Red Hook. The canal empties into New York Harbor. Completed in 1869, the canal was once a major transportation route for the then-separate cities of Brooklyn and New York City. Manufactured gas plants, mills, tanneries, and chemical plants are among the many facilities that operated along the canal. As a result of years of discharges, storm water runoff, sewer outflows and industrial pollutants, the Gowanus Canal has become one of the nation's most extensively contaminated water bodies. Contaminants include PCBs, coal tar wastes, heavy metals and volatile organics. The contamination poses a threat to the nearby residents who use the canal for fishing and recreation. |
| June 17, 2010 - Corps Suspends Surface Mining Permit | |
| The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today it has suspended the use of Nationwide Permit 21 (NWP 21) in the Appalachian region of six states. NWP 21 is used to authorize discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States for surface coal mining activities. The suspension is effective immediately and applies to the Appalachian region of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. NWP 21 continues to be available in other regions of the country. The suspension in Appalachia will remain in effect until the Corps takes further action on NWP 21 or until NWP 21 expires on March 18, 2012. While the suspension is in effect, individuals who propose surface coal mining projects that involve discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States will have to obtain Department of the Army authorization under the Clean Water Act, through the Individual Permit process. The individual permit evaluation procedure provides increased public involvement in the permit evaluation process, including an opportunity for public comment on individual projects. |
| June 17, 2010 - Great Lakes Mobilizes Dredge California in Gulf; Texas, Alaska and Liberty Island on the Way | |
| On June 14, 2010, Great Lakes’ cutter suction dredge, the California, began pumping sand at the Chandeleur Islands for delivery to berm construction locations. On June 15, 2010, prime contractor Shaw requested Great Lakes to mobilize its cutter suctions dredges Texas and Alaska, its hopper dredge Liberty Island and other ancillary equipment to work on the creation of these berms. Additionally, Great Lakes has submitted proposals to Shaw for an additional three dredges and ancillary support equipment to be used in the berm construction project. Should Great Lakes proposals be accepted, the total scope of work contracted to Great Lakes could range from four to seven dredges and other ancillary equipment. BP has committed $360 million to the State of Louisiana for this project. |
| June 16, 2010 - CJW Launches Dredge at Imperial Dam | |
| CJW Construction has launched their IMS Model 7012 HP Versi-Dredge at Imperial Dam in Imperial County, California as part of a $11.8 million contract with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The project involves removing 1.2 million cubic yards of material from a 50-acre site to increase water delivery capacity to the All American and Gila Gravity main canal headworks for irrigation in the Yuma, Arizona area. |
| June 16, 2010 - Stuyvesant Deployed to Oil Spill | |
| The hopper dredge Stuyvesant has been deployed to the Gulf of Mexico to deliver sand to the protective berm project along the Louisiana coastline. The 75-kilometer/45-mile-long berm system will be six feet high, stretching from East Grand Terre Island to Sandy Point, in line with the Chandeleur Islands. The Stuyvesant is an 11,000-cubic-yard, U.S. flag hopper dredge owned by Royal Boskalis Westminster, and operated by Stuyvesant Dredging Company of Metairie, Louisiana. |
| June 14, 2010 - Vacuum Barges Approved for Oil Removal in Marshes | |
| The Louisiana National Guard has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard to field ten additional vacuum barges to remove oil from marsh and inland areas of Louisiana’s coast, bringing the number approved to 13. The two vacuum barges already in operation -- one made of military float bridges, and the other a civilian barge – are recovering approximately 1,000 gallons of oil each per day. As of June 10, the barges had collected more than 6,400 gallons., bringing the number approved to 13. The newly approved vacuum barges will be placed in coordination with parish officials and the Coast Guard at locations in Plaquemines, Jefferson, Lafourche, St. Bernard and Terrebonne parishes. |
| June 12, 2010 - Louisiana Attorney General Files Petition Against BP | |
| On Thursday, June 10, Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell filed a Petition for Discovery and Investigation against BP in state court in Plaquemines Parish. The petition alleges that BP has failed to cooperate and share important information with the State, specifically information requested repeatedly by the Louisiana Workforce Commission and the Louisiana Department of Social Services regarding all claims data collected by ESIS, the third party administrator for claims, and for information about workers hired by BP. The purpose of the petition is to gather information as part of the State’s investigation as to the causes of the spill and impacts to our state. “Today’s filing was a last resort in trying to get information from BP that the Department of Social Services and the Louisiana Workforce Commission have requested repeatedly from BP since May 3 regarding the BP claims process,” stated Attorney General Caldwell. “To date, the State has made several requests for this information and/or further explanation but has not received an adequate response. I was hopeful that BP would cooperate and coordinate its response with the State; however that does not appear to be the case. Today’s petition is a request for a court to order BP to produce information that the State needs to monitor BP's claims process to ensure that our citizens are being treated fairly and receiving proper assistance. As Attorney General, be assured that I will take any and all necessary legal actions to safeguard the interests of those citizens and other entities of Louisiana who elect to file or are considering filing claims through the process BP has established.” |
| June 12, 2010 - Ray Bergeron is Dredger of the Year | |
| Raymond Bergeron was named Dredger of the Year at the Western Dredging Association annual conference, held near San Juan, Puerto Rico. The award, given to a member who has had an outstanding impact on the dredging industry and on the organization, cited Bergeron’s design of the Cable Arm -- a level cut dredging bucket that can remove bottom material without releasing contaminants into the water column. Bergeron told IDR on June 12 that he owes the bucket’s success to the willingness of the dredging industry to embrace new ideas and new technology. |
| June 12, 2010 - Eric Seagren Receives Lifetime Achievement Award | |
| Eric Seagren was presented with the Western Dredging Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the organization’s annual conference in Puerto Rico. Seagren spent his career advocating the use of small dredges to maintain lakes and ponds, and worked in dredge sales and education, as well as writing a number of works describing techniques for dredging lakes and for using polymers and other methods to return clear water back to the lake. Seagren is in ill health and was not able to attend the presentation, and the plaque with a detailed description of his achievements has been shipped to him. |
| June 4, 2010 - Jindal Contracts with Bean Dredging and Shaw Engineering for Dredging | |
| Governor Bobby Jindal released the following statement today regarding his meeting with President Obama and elected officials in New Orleans, concerning the response efforts to the ongoing BP oil spill: “I am glad the president came today. Every time he comes to Louisiana the pace of the response efforts quickens and things get done. Shortly before his first visit during this spill, Admiral Allen was named as Incident Commander. Before his visit last week, the Coast Guard called for BP to pay for one of the segments in our sand boom plan and before his visit this week, the Coast Guard called on BP to pay for the construction of all six segments approved by the Corps – although BP still hasn’t given the state a dime to pay for the work. “Just as we said yesterday, we told the President we are moving ahead without BP. We already signed contracts to begin this work with Shaw and Bean Dredging. We put in a request to the Army Corps of Engineers this morning to release their available dredges and they have identified four dredges – including one located close to the site that is most likely to be available – the California. I met with the CEO of Shaw today and they said that if the US Army Corps of Engineers will allow them to borrow sand closer to the dredging sites, which we will replace, we could see sand by Monday. “We are moving forward with or without BP. We gave them two choices – they can either send us a check, get out of the way and let us start this work, or they can sign a contract and do it themselves. We are going ahead without them. Last night, we met with Admiral Allen and he said he feels like he is making progress in getting BP to actually pay for this work. To date, BP has done a great job in sending us press releases and attorneys, but they haven’t sent us any money to dredge.” Governor Jindal also stressed the need to ensure BP is paying claims to Louisiana residents in a timely and responsible fashion. The Governor said, “The Department of Social Services and the Workforce Commission have made repeated requests to review BP’s claims process and data, but BP still has not shared their full claims data for individuals and businesses. We are concerned about reports from citizens and parish officials that many people have not been paid by BP. According to information from BP, more than half of the claims for lost income have not even been processed and less than 25 percent of business interruption claims have been paid. In fact, the Attorney General’s Office filed a petition for discovery and investigation in state court today to order BP to produce information that the state needs to monitor their claims processes. “Our people deserve to be fully compensated for their losses. Instead of BP shelling out $50 million on an ad campaign that promises to do good work in responding to this spill, BP should just focus on actually doing a good job and spend the $50 million on assistance to our people, our industries and our communities that are suffering as a result of this ongoing spill.” While meeting with the President today, Governor Jindal also stressed his serious concerns about the President’s recent suspension of deepwater drilling activity. Governor Jindal said, “I shared my concerns about the President’s six-month suspension of activity at 33 permitted deepwater drilling rigs, including 22 deepwater drilling rigs off Louisiana’s coast. Our Department of Economic Development estimates that the active drilling suspension alone will result in a loss of 3,000 to 6,000 Louisiana jobs in the next two to three weeks and potentially over 10,000 Louisiana jobs within a few months. We risk losing more than 20,000 existing and potential new Louisiana jobs over 12 to 18 months, if this federal panel takes longer than six months to do their reviews and write their reports. “We absolutely want drilling to be done safely, but it shouldn’t take months of federal government committees and meetings. We need effective oversight of this industry. The federal government needs to do their job quickly so that thousands of Louisianians don’t lose their jobs.” During the meeting with the President, the Governor also stressed the importance of the Coast Guard approving the use of rocks and barges to block oil from entering into the Barataria Bay. This proposal will protect Grand Isle, Lafitte, and hundreds of thousands of acres of prime fishing grounds in Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes from oil pollution. The Governor said, “Mayor Carmardelle has been working on the development of a plan to close the passes to the east and west of Grand Isle. This plan will use rocks and barges to narrow the passes and establish active sorbent and vacuum operations from barges closing the remaining gaps. The barges would be anchored down and then chained together to provide for a contiguous barrier across the passes to prevent more oil from getting into Barataria Bay, and facilitate the removal of oil.” |
| June 3, 2010 - Obama Sends $69 Million Invoice to BP | |
| The Obama Administration today sent a preliminary bill for $69.09 million to BP and other responsible parties for response and recovery operations relating to the BP/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The Administration will continue to bill BP regularly for all associated costs to ensure the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is reimbursed on an ongoing basis. As a responsible party, BP is financially responsible for all costs associated with the response to the spill, including efforts to stop the leak at its source, reduce the spread of oil, protect the shoreline and mitigate damages, as well as long term recovery efforts to ensure that all individuals and communities impacted by the spill are made whole. To provide full transparency of the ongoing efforts and to ensure that the American public is not held accountable for the costs of response and recovery activities, the Federal Government will bill BP and the other responsible parties periodically for costs incurred by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator to support Federal, State, and local response efforts. The Administration expects prompt payment and will take additional steps as necessary to ensure that BP and other responsible parties, not American taxpayers, pay all of the costs associated with the BP/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. This invoice is based on specific Federal Government expenses that are subject to billing at this time, including expenses associated with the response of over two dozen Federal entities and agencies from three States, in accordance with the Federal On-Scene Coordinator request for assistance process. Federal response activities not subject to billing at this time, including future activities, will be billed to the responsible parties through subsequent invoices. In addition, these bills do not include any other costs for which BP and the other responsible parties are liable to any other party. The United States Coast Guard is responsible for administering the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to ensure that individuals and communities harmed by oil spills are made whole and that the costs of response and cleanup are borne by the responsible parties. |
| June 3, 2010 - Incident Commander Orders BP to Pay for Coastal Protections | |
| National Incident Commander Admiral Allen has directed BP to pay for five additional barrier island projects in Louisiana. "Consistent with all the work undertaken in recent weeks to assess Louisiana's barrier island proposal and gather input from local officials, environmental experts, and top scientists and engineers, I have directed BP to pay for five additional barrier island projects in addition to the one I approved last week as part of our continuing commitment to do everything possible to protect our vital coastal communities from BP's leaking oil. Based on a thorough expert analysis, we believe that these six total projects, which will be constructed expeditiously in the areas most at risk for long-term impact by oil, will effectively stem potential damage to these fragile shorelines," he said. "After committing to providing Governor Jindal our determination within 24 hours of our meeting with local officials and environmental experts to discuss these projects yesterday, I notified him this afternoon. I reiterated to him that this administration will hold BP responsible for providing full payment for any strategy that will protect our valuable coastal communities from the impacts of their catastrophe. "In addition, we are moving critical response assets across all the Gulf Coast states in preparation for potential near- and long-term oil impacts. In Alabama, the Coast Guard Cutter Cypress arrived in Mobile Bay today to protect Dauphin Island from the north and west. Tomorrow, we will commence a surge of boom to Alabama's Katrina Pass that will be positioned to create a funnel to collect oil that comes in with the tide. Additionally, we have deployed four coastal patrol boats to coordinate response in Alabama's coastal waters. "Four helicopters are being deployed to the Alabama, Mississippi and Florida coast to provide surveillance information to help skimmers position their efforts strategically to collect the most oil threatening the shore possible. The Coast Guard Cutter Tampa has a flight deck that will allow for these helicopters to refuel offshore, and the Coast Guard Cutter Elm is currently in the area off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, working around the clock to skim oil from the surface," he said. |
| June 2, 2010 - $25 million Grant to Go to Louisiana Attorney General's Office | |
| Baton Rouge: Governor Bobby Jindal announced that $5 million of the $25 million total block grant given to the state for oil clean up and response efforts will go to Attorney General Buddy Caldwell’s office to support expenses incurred as a result of the BP oil spill. Governor Jindal said, “BP fronted the state $25 million to support the functions of our first responders and others fighting to protect our coasts because the reimbursement process can be slow. It’s important to note that this $25 million doesn’t even scratch the surface of our state’s total needs in responding to and recovering from this catastrophic oil spill. We are designating today $5 million of this total to the Attorney General’s Office to help support their expenses incurred as a result of the BP oil spill.” Attorney General Buddy Caldwell stated he is very pleased to receive this funding. “Once again, the offices of the Governor and the Attorney General are joining together to protect the rights and livelihoods of the citizens of the State of Louisiana and in this instance, it precious resources and coastline as well,” said Caldwell. “Without this essential funding it would be virtually impossible to engage in the difficult task ahead of ensuring that BP lives up to its financial obligations and responsibilities to the State of Louisiana,” added Caldwell. |
| June 1, 2010 - Holder Announces Criminal Investigation into Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak | |
| U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on June 1 that the Justice Department was in the process of investigating the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill for evidence of criminal liability by those responsible. Listing the the Clean Water Act, which carries civil penalties and fines as well as criminal penalties; the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which can be used to hold parties liable for cleanup costs and reimbursement for government efforts; the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Endangered Species Acts, which provide penalties for injury and death to wildlife and bird species; and other traditional criminal statutes, he said “There are a wide range of possible violations under these statutes, and we will closely examine the actions of those involved in this spill. If we find evidence of illegal behavior, we will be forceful in our response. We have already instructed all relevant parties to preserve any documents that may shed light on the facts surrounding this disaster. As our review expands in the days ahead, we will be meticulous, we will be comprehensive, and we will be aggressive. We will not rest until justice is done. “While the federal government continues to focus on stopping the leak and responding to the environmental disaster, the Department of Justice will ensure the American people do not foot the bill for this disaster and that our laws are enforced to the full extent. That is our responsibility, and we will do nothing less,” said Holder at a press conference in New Orleans. He also remembered the workers who died in the explosion: “There is one thing I will not let be forgotten in this incident,” he said. “In addition to the extensive costs being borne by our environment and by communities along the Gulf Coast, the initial explosion and fire also took the lives of 11 rig workers. Eleven innocent lives lost. As we examine the causes of the explosion and subsequent spill, I want to assure the American people that we will not forget the price those workers paid.” |
| June 1, 2010 - Dredging International Submits Low Bid for Gatun Lake Deepening; ACP to Analyze all Bids | |
| On June 1, Dredging International's bid of $39,983,822.82 was the lowest of six bids submitted to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) for dredging Gatun Lake in the Panama Canal. The other five bidders were: Jan de Nul: $57,856,939; China Harbor Engineering (CHEC): $67,377,423; Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company: $72,392,354.34; Boskalis International: $85,500,207.49; and Van Oord: $97,998.256.97. The ACP will now analyze the technical and financial submissions and award the contract to the company with the lowest-priced bid that also meets the requirements stated in the request for proposal, and verify the company's experience, technical capacity, financial strength and bonding before awarding the contract. The primary element of contract is to widen and deepen the existing navigation channel by dredging approximately 4.6 million cubic meters in the northernmost reaches of the lake. This contract is one component within the ACP's Fresh Water Dredging and Excavation Project for the Canal Expansion, which includes dredging and/or excavation of about 30 million cubic meters in Gatun Lake and the Gaillard Cut (the narrowest stretch of the Panama Canal). The ACP will do most of the 30 million cubic meters of dredging and excavation within the project using its own resources, while contracting portions of the project, such as the area included in this contract in Gatun Lake. The ACP has also published another tender for the excavation and dredging of about 3.8 million cubic meters near the Gaillard Cut at the entrance of the new Pacific Locks Access Channel. The ACP expects to receive bids for this contract July 16, 2010. Gatun Lake spans 163 square miles and is essential to the operation of the canal. At the time of its creation in 1910, during the canal's original construction, Gatun Lake was the largest artificial lake in the world. |
| May 27, 2010 - Corps Grants Emergency Dredging Permit for Barrier Islands | |
| Today, May 27, 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District Commander Col. Al Lee offered an emergency permit to the state of Louisiana for portions of their barrier island plan. “After careful consideration of the available information, and working closely with the state of Louisiana, the coastal parishes, and our federal partners, I have offered the permit under Emergency Permit NOD-20, with special conditions, authorizing the state to proceed with six reaches, E3 and E4 to the east of the Mississippi River, and W8, W9, W10, and W11 to the west,” said Col. Al Lee, commander of the New Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “These areas have been identified as critical locations where greater immediate benefit is likely to be achieved with minimal adverse disruption of coastal circulation patterns.” The Corps' regulatory permit compliance program will assure that the 33 conditions of the permit will effectively carry out the intent of the state's project. If necessary, modifications to the permit can be made as conditions evolve. The request was processed under the emergency permit procedures of New Orleans District's NOD-20. The New Orleans District received the emergency permit request from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana at 11 p.m. Tuesday, May 11 for work on the Chandeleur Islands and also on all barrier islands from East Grand Terre Island and eastward to Sandy Point. The permit was requested “to enhance the capability of the islands to reduce the inland movement of oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill,” as per the original permit request cover letter. In accordance with the NEPA process, which must be followed even in emergency situations, we solicited interagency comments on the state's permit application. Those agency comments were provided to the state, which then submitted a revised plan on May 14. The revised plan extended the reach westward to Timbalier Island and removed the near shore borrow area along Chandeleur Islands. The Corps again solicited interagency comments on the state's revision. Following discussions between the state and the Corps regarding technical analyses, the state submitted additional information on May 21 and May 24. Authorization under NOD-20 is temporary and does not replace the normal permit approvals. Within 30 days, a full Department of the Army permit request must be submitted. |
| May 27, 2010 - Port of Houston to Consider Dredging Authorization on June 1 | |
| The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) will consider authorizing $2.7 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform critical dredging of the channels adjacent to PHA's turning basin and Barbours Cut docks, on Tuesday, June 1, beginning at 9 a.m. in the boardroom of the Port Authority Executive Building, located at 111 East Loop North in Houston. Chairman Jim Edmonds will preside over the meeting with Commissioners Steve Phelps, Jim Fonteno, Kase Lawal, Jimmy Burke, Janiece Longoria, and Elyse Lanier. Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Alec Dreyer is expected to deliver a financial report highlighting increase trends in export steel cargo and year-to-date vessel calls. |
| May 24, 2010 - Bowe to Testify Before Transportation Committee | |
| On Wednesday, May 26, Peter Bowe, president of Ellicott Dredges LLC, will testify before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee regarding the impact of ARRA on the U.S. dredging industry, and will address the need for inclusion of HR 4844 in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). On Thursday, Jim Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers Association, will testify to the Environment and Public Works Committee on behalf of Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP). As of Monday, May 24, S. 3213 has 14 co-sponsors, and H.R. 4844 has 37 co-sponsors. |
| May 24, 2010 - Louisiana Modifies Fishery Closures Because of Oil Encroachment | |
| Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Robert Barham has announced the following additional closures to recreational and commercial fishing activities in portions of state inside waters in lower Jefferson, Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes and territorial seas effective May 22, 2010. These closures are because of confirmed reports of oil. BARATARIA BASIN The portion of state inside waters south of 29 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds north latitude and north of the inside/outside shrimp line, from the western shore of the Mississippi River westward to the western shore of Bayou Lafourche TERREBONE BASIN The portion of state inside waters south of 29 degrees 21 minutes 00 seconds north latitude and north of the inside/outside shrimp line from the western shore of Bayou Lafourche westward to 91 degrees 20 minutes 20 seconds west longitude. TERRITORIAL SEAS That portion of state outside waters seaward of the inside/outside shrimp line from 91 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds west longitude westward to 91 degrees 20 minutes 20 seconds west longitude. Precautionary closures of recreational and commercial fishing have been implemented based on the best information the Secretary of the Department receives from field biologists, staff and trajectory models from NOAA. Once reports of oil are received, LDWF initiates a field survey and immediate seafood testing in the suspected areas. Closures are subsequently made with the intent to be as safe as possible, while not closing any fishing areas unnecessarily. As test results come back clearing the area, effected waters are then reopened. LDWF continues to work closely with DHH in an effort to assess all opportunities to resume normal fishing activities on Louisiana's coast and guarantee the safety of Louisiana's seafood. All other closures remain in place. A map detailing these closures is available at: http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/pdfs/news/FISHING-CLOSURE.jpg For more information related to the oil spill, visit http://www.emergency.louisiana.gov |
| May 24, 2010 - EPA Head in Louisiana | |
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, joined by Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, was back in the Gulf Coast on May 24 to monitor EPA’s on-the-ground response to the BP oil spill and speak with residents about efforts to mitigate the spill's impact on the region. This marks Administrator Jackson’s third visit to the gulf region since the oil spill began. During the trip, Jackson and Sutley will visit the command center in Robert, Louisiana, and will also travel to Venice, Louisiana and New Orleans. The visit will include a tour on a Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA), a self-contained mobile laboratory being used by the EPA to sample and analyze outdoor air quality in the gulf. Jackson and Sutley will also tour oil-impacted wetlands by boat in Venice. At 4:15 p.m. CDT, Jackson will hold a press conference in Venice. Jackson arrived in the Gulf Coast on May 23, and attended a briefing at the Unified Area Command Center and met with BP officials along with U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry, Unified Area Command Federal On-Scene Coordinator. |
| May 24, 2010 - Agencies Propose 3500-acre Mitigation Bank in Mississippi | |
| The Mississippi Department of Transportation and The Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation are submitting a completed prospectus for the proposed establishment of a mitigation bank referred to as he Buttahatchie River Mitigation Bank. The Sponsors propose to create a 3,562 acre mitigation bank in Monroe County, Mississippi. The goal of the sponsor is to re-establish and preserve various wetland habitats and stream functions within several creeks to create a sustainable ecosystem on one tract located near Amory, Mississippi. The restoration, enhancement, and preservation activities within this tract totaling 3,562 acres will increase wetland and stream functions, provide species diversity, and increase the width of a wildlife corridor along Red Creek. |
| May 21, 2010 - Corps Proceeding on Oil Berm Permits | |
| On May 21, Ken Holder, public affairs chief at the New Orleans District Corps of Engineers, issued this statement regarding the dredging permits to create protective berms along the Louisiana coastline: “We are … working closely with the permit applicant. We've requested and received additional information today. We are currently evaluating that information and will proceed as quickly as possible.” |
| May 21, 2010 - Governor Jindal and Coastal Officials View Oil Impact at Grand Isle, Thunder Bayou and Fourchon Beach | |
| May 21, 2010 Grand Isle: Governor Jindal along with coastal parish officials viewed the impact of the oil along the coast in Grand Isle, Thunder Bayou and Fourchon Beach. The Governor and local officials saw miles of tar balls along Fourchon beach that washed up late last night and gobs of oil pooled at the land bridge which the National Guard just completed days ago at Thunder Bayou. Governor Jindal was joined by Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph, Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet, Jefferson Parish President Steve Theriot, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand, Grand Isle Mayor David Carmardelle, State Sen. John Alario, State Rep. Pat Connick, Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner, Jefferson Parish Councilmen Chris Roberts and Tom Capella and other local officials. Governor Jindal said, “It is clear from what we saw on Fourchon Beach and Thunder Bayou today that the oil is here. It is in our marsh – like we saw yesterday in Pass a Loutre – and it is on our shores. To put this in perspective, Fourchon Beach – where we saw tarballs today – is about 110 miles from the source of the spill. This oil has traveled 110 miles to land on our coast and we are very concerned that this is just the beginning. We didn’t see this oil come in on top of the water. According to locals, this tar ball material floated beneath the surface to land on the beach here. “Grand Isle supports a multi-billion dollar fishing industry, not to mention the many families whose very livelihoods comes from this water. LDWF estimates that this spill could cost us hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Recreational and commercial fishing in Louisiana contribute over $3 billion a year to our economy annually and is responsible for more than 60,000 jobs in the state. Louisiana produces nearly one-third of the seafood for the continental US and 70 percent of the seafood production in the Gulf of Mexico comes from Louisiana fishers, shrimpers and oyster harvesters. “This is why we have repeatedly said that this spill fundamentally threatens Louisiana’s way of life. The oil is here, but we are still waiting on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve our sand boom plan to help keep oil out of our marshes and off of our shores. We have already asked the Coast Guard to approve advancing the resources we will need to implement this plan, including barges and other dredging ships, so we can get to work quickly. “Indeed, today, we saw first-hand how well our sand-booming plan works. The land bridge the National Guard built at Elmer’s Island is now actively trapping and containing oil. “We saw the oil all along our shored today but we are still waiting on the U.S. Commerce Department to declare a Commercial Fisheries Failure in Louisiana to activate critical assistance to our fishermen and their communities. This oil has already caused a severe disruption in our fishing industry and the total shutdown of fisheries in some coastal communities.” Governor Jindal also stressed the ongoing need for more boom in critical areas west of the river, including Lafourche, Terrebonne and St. Mary Parishes. The Governor said, “We continue to be concerned about the shortage of boom in Lafourche, Terrebonne and St. Mary Parishes. We continue to call for more boom in these areas. Terrebonne, especially, needs more boom given the unconfirmed reports of oil moving into Timbalier Bay today. This oil would be very difficult to clean out, if not impossible. We also asked BP and the Coast Guard to ramp up their Vessels of Opportunity Program in Terrebonne to help employ our fishermen in the fight to protect the coast. “It is important to point out that Lafourche, Terrebonne, and St. Mary Parish have received only a minimal amount of boom in the last 24 hours. Today, booming operations are continuing in the Chandeleur Islands, Raccoon and Trinity islands, the Timbaliers, Breton Island, Grand Isle and Venice. PURSUING MULTIPLE AVENUES IN FIGHT TO PROTECT COAST Governor Jindal also stressed that the state continues to pursue multiple avenues in the fight to protect the coast, noting that boom is only one tool. The Governor gave an update on the many tactics the state is using: Elmer’s Island at Grand Isle: National Guard engineers continue to conduct maintenance in the vicinity of Elmer’s Island where they closed a 785-foot gap last week. This area is actively containing oil. Port Fourchon Sandbag Drop Operations: About 30 engineers from the 928th Engineer Company are filling five total gaps in the vicinity of Thunder Bayou in Port Fourchon. Teams are currently working simultaneously in the vicinity of Thunder Bayou and also on the western side of Elmer’s Island. Engineers are working from each end to the center to backfill five cuts on the island. Gap 1 on the east end is now 100 percent complete and Gap 5 on the west end is also now 100 percent complete as of this morning. Tiger Dam Project at Southwest Pass: Around 90 engineers are working to secure 7.1 miles in Southwest Pass with Tiger Dams. Approximately two miles of the Tiger Dam is now completed and Guardsmen are currently assembling, laying out, and inflating additional sections. National Guardsmen have already positioned 92 pallets of Tiger Dam to Grand Isle for future deployment – which is around 7 miles of dam material. Sand-Fill: CPRA and the National Guard have also leaned forward and identified approximately 40 total locations where gaps in barrier islands could be filled with sandbags or dump trucks of sand. This strategy would complement a more complete and extensive dredging/sand booming plan. As of this morning, the National Guard has now dropped 300 sandbags on Pelican Island to completely fill the first gap there, which was around 200 feet, and work on the second gap. There are eight gaps total in the sand-fill plan for Pelican Island and another six gaps that need to be filled with sand bags on Scofield Island. The National Guard’s staging area in Buras is also now operational, which allows Blackhawks lifting the sandbags to make more trips more quickly and help speed up the work there. Hesco Baskets: Hesco baskets have been approved for deployment on Elmer’s Island, Caminada, Lafourche and in Cameron parish to protect the shorelines there. Representatives from the National Guard, DNR and Lafourche parish are coordinating Hesco basket placement in Lafourche. Freshwater Diversions: A variety of freshwater diversions are actively running to push freshwater out and protect the shore. Dredging/Sand-Boom Plan: The state is moving forward on a dredge plan to build sand booms along the alignment of the historic barrier islands in the Chandeleurs, Barataria Bay and Timbalier Bay. CPRA filed for an emergency permit from the Army Corps of Engineers last week and the Governor and officials continue to stress the importance of its quick approval, which could begin creating sand-booms to catch oil in around 10 days. RV PELICAN The Governor also announced today that the state’s request for the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s (LUMCON) research vessel – the RV Pelican – to do more research missions has been approved. The RV Pelican vessel recently reported massive oil plumes over 30 square miles beneath the surface of the Gulf. Now that the request has been approved, the state asked LUMCON to work directly with the Coast Guard to deploy the RV Pelican as quickly as possible. OIL IMPACT According to NOAA, the total shoreline impact of oil is 49 miles and the Governor said he expects this number to rise based on the coastal impact seen today. DEQ has confirmed shoreline impacts to date on: the Chandeleur Islands, Whiskey Island, Raccoon Island, South Pass, East Fourchon, Grand Isle, Elmer’s Island, Trinity Island, Brush Island, and the Pass a Loutre area. The Governor said that no amount of shoreline has been fully cleaned in accordance with DEQ standards and approval to date. Cleanup operations scheduled for today include: South Pass, North Pass, Trinity Island, Pilot Bayou, Red Fish Bay, Chandeleur Island and Trinity Island. Beach clean up is also scheduled at Fourchon today and Brush Island will also be cleaned after a SCAT team assessment. |
| May 20, 2010 - Corps Issues Emergency Permit Guidelines | |
| On May 10, the Corps of Engineers New Orleans District announced that emergency dredging permits could be issued under NOD-20 – General Permit Emergency Operations with the New Orleans District for “activities regarding imminent safety and/or environmental hazard, loss of property or immediate economic hardship.” The permits would be issued for activities regarding protection of the Gulf of Mexico coastline from spilled oil from the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Depending on the nature and extent of the emergency, immediate verbal authorization may be granted. In other cases, a written request explaining the emergency, with sketches and maps, may be needed to establish qualification for NOD-20. Three emergency permits had been granted as of May 12. |
| May 20, 2010 - State of Louisiana Describes Emergency Dredging Plan | |
| Venice, Louisiana: On May 20, Governor Bobby Jindal joined Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser and other local officials for a meeting and boat tour off the coast of Plaquemines Parish in the Pass a Loutre area where he observed firsthand substantial oil impact on Louisiana's wetlands. The Governor and local officials rode through and inspected thick, dark oil that has made its way into the state's fragile wetlands. The Governor held a press conference in Venice following the tour where he renewed his plea to the Army Corps of Engineers to issue an emergency permit so the dredging plan can begin quickly. Governor Jindal said, “We saw some heavy oil stranded in the wetlands. The oil is no longer just a projection or miles from our shore. The oil is here. It is on our shores and in our marsh. “To put this in perspective, our state has already lost 2,300 square miles of coastal lands since the 1930s. This is like losing the entire state of Rhode Island or Delaware. This is the same area that is home to one of our nation's most productive estuaries. We have been working aggressively to reverse this trend of coastal land and wetlands loss. “Today – we saw clearly that this oil has the potential to stop and reverse the progress we have made in the last two years. Our state was on track to have the lowest rate of land loss in 80 years as a result of our efforts and investments in our coast. Our shrimpers were rebounding, our oyster fishermen were recovering and our coastal communities were rebuilding. “This spill fundamentally threatens Louisiana's way of life. The oil is here and the time to act is now. We are asking the Corps to approve our dredging plan today without any further delay. We have already asked the Coast Guard to approve advancing the resources we will need to implement this plan, including barges and other dredging ships, so we can get to work quickly.” OIL IMPACT According to NOAA, the total amount of Louisiana shoreline with oil impact to date is 34.52 miles. DEQ has confirmed shoreline impacts to date on: the Chandeleur Islands, Whiskey Island, Raccoon Island, South Pass, East Fourchon/Elmers Island, Grand Isle, Trinity Island, Brush Island, and the Pass a Loutre area. DREDGING PLAN The Governor repeated his call for the Corps to quickly approve the dredging plan to build “sand booms” along the alignment of the state’s historic barrier islands in the Chandeleurs, Barataria Bay and Timbalier Bay. CPRA filed for an emergency permit last week from the Army Corps of Engineers. Once the Corps approves the plan, land is expected to begin being built in around ten days. In anticipation of receiving a permit from the Corps, the state has already begun steps to prioritize and determine the capacity of each sand borrow site needed to construct the sand boom. The state has boats out conducting surveys. Magnetometers were used to identify existing pipelines, and side-scan sonar used to develop images of the seafloor. Sampling and assessments are being performed to identify contaminated sediments and to ensure that the materials are safe and the receiving areas are clean. STRATEGIES TO PROTECT LOUISIANA’S COAST Governor Jindal said, “In Plaquemines, just like our other coastal areas, we are leaning forward to explore multiple avenues for protecting our coast. We know booming is one option – but we cannot only count on boom to protect our coast, especially as the supply of boom continues to fall short of what is needed to protect many areas. “We continue to be concerned about the shortage of boom in parishes west of the river and we’re pushing the Coast Guard and BP for more boom in these and other sensitive areas.” The Governor reiterated that he is not simply waiting for more boom, and instead, the state continues to pursue alternative options to booming. Governor Jindal said, “We are aggressively pursuing booming alternatives, as that is only one tool in the toolbox.” The Governor provided an update on various alternative projects being pursued to contain the oil: Elmer’s Island at Grande Isle: National Guard engineers continue to backfill gaps and conduct maintenance in the vicinity of Elmer’s Island where they closed a 785- foot gap last week. Port Fourchon Sandbag Drop Operations: About 30 engineers from the 928th Engineer Company are filling five total gaps in the vicinity of Thunder Bayou in Port Fourchon. Teams are currently working simultaneously in the vicinity of Thunder Bayou and also on the western side of Elmer’s Island. Engineers are working from each end to the center to backfill five cuts on the island. Gap 1 on the east end is now 80 percent complete and Gap 5 on the west end is about 85 percent complete. The National Guard already closed a large 150-foot gap there last week. Tiger Dam Project at Southwest Pass: Around 42 engineers from the 528th Engineer Battalion are working to secure 7.1 miles in Southwest Pass with Tiger Dams. Approximately 1.5 miles of the Tiger Dam is now completed and Guardsmen are currently assembling, laying out, and inflating additional sections. National Guardsmen have already positioned 92 pallets of Tiger Dam to Grand Isle for future deployment – which is around 7 miles of dam material. Sand Fill: CPRA and the National Guard have also leaned forward and identified approximately 40 total locations where gaps in barrier islands could be filled with sandbags or dump trucks of sand. This strategy would complement a more complete and extensive dredging/sand booming plan. As of this morning, the National Guard has now dropped 220 sandbags on Pelican Island to completely fill the first gap there, which was around 200 feet. They will begin to fill the second gap there today. There are eight gaps total in the plan for Pelican Island and another six gaps that need to be filled with sand bags in the plan for Scofield Island. Also, the National Guard’s staging area in Buras is now operational – which allows Blackhawks lifting the sandbags to make more trips more quickly and help speed up the work there. Hesco Baskets (metal baskets with fabric sides that are filled with soil) - The state also recently got approval to deploy Hesco baskets on the backside of Grand Isle, Lafourche and in Cameron Parish to protect the shorelines there. Today, representatives from the National Guard, DNR and Lafourche Parish are meeting to coordinate Hesco basket placement in Lafourche. Freshwater Diversions: The state is also already running a variety of freshwater diversions to push freshwater out to protect the shore. |
| May 20, 2010 - Corps Processing Emergency Dredging Requests | |
| May 20, 2010. Ken Holder, chief of Public Affairs at the New Orleans District, Corps of Engineers, has issued the following statement regarding the processing of emergency permits for protection of the Louisiana Coast from the BP oil spill: “We understand the importance and significance of this emergency permit request and it is a top priority. We are closely monitoring the response effort in the Gulf of Mexico and are very concerned about the potential adverse impacts to the environment due to this oil spill. “We received an emergency permit request from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana at 11 p.m. Tuesday, May 11 for work on the Chandeleur Islands and also on all barrier islands from East Grand Terre Island and eastward to Sandy Point. “The permit has been requested ‘to enhance the capability of the islands to reduce the inland movement of oil from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill,’ as per the permit request cover letter. “That request is being processed under emergency permit procedures of New Orleans District's General Permit NOD-20. Under the emergency permit procedures, the Corps is still required to comply with NEPA and other applicable laws. “In accordance with the NEPA process, we solicited interagency comments on the State's permit. Those agency comments were provided to the state, which then submitted a revised plan on May 14. The Corps again solicited interagency comments on the state's revision. We are currently evaluating all of this information for potential environmental impacts, as required under NEPA.” |
| May 17, 2010 - Bangladeshi Waterways Unions End Strike | |
| On May 14, waterways workers in Bangladesh ended a seven-day nationwide strike that severely disrupted the country's transport system after union leaders accepted an agreement from the government and water transport owners to raise wages. The agreement was signed by a federation of six trade unions. The strike by 150,000 members of the federation had paralyzed transport in Bangladesh, which relies heavily on its waterway system. Delays in jet fuel shipments threatened to ground planes in Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport, and some flights were cancelled on May 12, according to bdnews24.com, an online Bangladesh news outlet. The wage increase was the strikers’ main demand. Before the agreement, water transport workers earned Tk 1,350 (about $20 U.S.) a month. They had not received a raise since 2004, and several previous promises to review their wages had not been met. The wage offer, though only 50 percent rather than the 300 percent increase demanded by strikers, allowed both sides to claim victory. But it came paired with tough government actions. The government jailed a dozen union and activist leaders, and threatened loss of work certificates to any strikers who didn¹t return to work by 5:00 p.m. May 14. After that deadline, returning workers must “plead for mercy” to avoid prosecution and possible loss of work licenses, said Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan. Included among the strikers’ list of 22 demands was stopping waterways “extortion and robbery,” ending corruption in the shipping ministry, and increased dredging. |
| May 13, 2010 - Zubieta Gives Keynote at PIANC Congress in Liverpool | |
| Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta addressed hundreds of participants at this year’s International Navigation Association’s (PIANC) 32nd Congress in Liverpool on May 11. During his keynote address, Zubieta spoke about the Panama Canal expansion program and briefed the audience on the project. To date, 100 percent of the excavation work has been completed for the first two phases of the Pacific access channel, as well as close to 30 percent of work on the deepening and widening of Gatun Lake and the Gaillard Cut (the narrowest stretch in the Panama Canal). “Forums such as PIANC’s congress are a great opportunity to connect with industry insiders and the maritime public at large. We have a long-standing partnership with this organization and look forward to our continued collaboration,” said Zubieta. “In the early stages of the Panama Canal expansion studies, PIANC’s reports were instrumental in helping the ACP in its search for proven locks technologies used around the world, such as rolling gates and water-saving basins. I am honored to be this year’s keynote speaker and report that our historic Expansion Program is moving ahead on time and on budget.” PIANC is a global organization providing guidance for sustainable waterborne transport infrastructure for ports and waterways. Every four years, a congress, open to the public, is held in one of PIANC’s member countries for the presentation and discussion of papers on subjects of significance to waterways and maritime interests. The congress is a four-day event, which covers all aspects of maritime and inland waterway navigation, including recreation, environment and international development. The program includes invited lectures, technical papers, technical visits and networking events. |
| May 13, 2010 - Orion to Restore Bayou Lafourche | |
| Orion Marine Group, Inc. (NYSE: ORN) has announced a contract award of approximately $18 million. The group’s wholly owned subsidiary, F. Miller Construction, LLC. received the contract from the Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District for Phase I of the Restoration of the bayou. As part of the contract, F. Miller Construction will restore the watershed and increase the capacity of Bayou Lafourche through mechanical dredging and construction services. “This important project will help The Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District increase the availability of fresh water access during emergency situations, such as a hurricane, and is part of ongoing efforts for Coastal Restoration in the State of Louisiana,” said Mark Korkowski, F. Miller Construction’s Division Manager. “Additionally, this project highlights F. Miller Construction’s 100 year tradition and philosophy of building a stronger Louisiana through cooperation with our neighbors”. Bayou Lafourche is the freshwater life line for nourishment and replenishment of a large wetland area and an important component to the coastal restoration program for the Louisiana coast line. Additionally, Bayou Lafourche provides drinking water for over 300,000 residents throughout three Louisiana parishes. |
| May 12, 2010 - Port Congress in Ecuador to Study World Trade Relationships | |
| The Manta Port Authority (MPA) in partnership with the American Association of Ports Authorities (AAPA) are finalizing the organizational details of the XIX Latin American Ports Congress to be held from 6 to 9 July, 2010, which will have as the main topic the "Model of Relationship of the American ports with Europe and Asia, in view of the new Development Opportunities " The organizers launched the Web site www.congresomanta2010.com in Spanish and English, with all the necessary information to know the details of the congress. The academic agenda – where the heavyweights of the Americas' port scene are highlighted – is accompanied by a busy social program, which includes a reception hosted by the APM, a Mantense typical festival on the beach, a gala dinner, and visits to different tourist areas of the region. Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit the Galapagos, one of the major tourist and scientific attractions of the world, as one of the pre and post conference activities, with differential rates for the participants to the event. |
| May 11, 2010 - More Co-sponsors Endorse HMTF Bills | |
| On May 10, Barry Holliday announced that the two bills that would require use of funds in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund primarily for harbor maintenance had 32 House and 11 Senate cosponsors. On May 3, there were 24 House and nine Senate co-sponsors. The advocacy group RAMP (Realize America’s Maritime Promise) had swelled with the membership of the Chamber of Commerce, whose representatives testified at a Senate WRDA hearing. Also, Mitch White testified at the WRDA hearing representing the Associated General Contractors and Manson Construction Company. |
| May 5, 2010 - "Green" Product Tested for Gulf Oil Cleanup | |
| VeruTEK Technologies, a developer of green technologies for environmental cleanup, demonstrated VeruSOLVE Marine to contractors in Escambia County, Florida on Sunday, May 2. VeruSOLVE Marine is a plant surfactant-oxidant solution that degrades oil and promotes oxidation and biodegradation of oil for the cleanup of oil in marine environments. Another product, VeruSOL Marine is a dispersant that is environmentally friendly and is less toxic to marine flora and fauna than most approved dispersants. The company demonstrated the products to contractor PBS&J. The next step is for the company to present this to Unified Command as an option for oil spill cleanup from the Deepwater Horzon spill. VeruTEK uses plant surfactants derived from citrus, coconut, castor and other biological sources to break up the oil. VeruSOLVE contains hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to destroy the oil. (Hydrogen peroxide breaks down to water.) John Collins, Ph.D., CEO of VeruTEK, said, "We believe that VeruTEK can make a significant contribution to protecting the beaches and the wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico. We will do everything we can to help in this effort." |
| May 5, 2010 - Nalco is Providing Dispersants for Gulf Oil Spill Response | |
| Nalco (NYSE:NLC), confirmed today it is providing oil dispersants and support to BP and the responders dealing with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The company will continue to provide these dispersants as requested for as long as responders have the need. “To date sales related to these dispersants have not had a material financial impact on our company,” Nalco Chairman and CEO Erik Fyrwald. “But it is impossible to predict at this time how long this incident will last or the magnitude of the overall response needed.” “Our suppliers have shown us great support in getting us the raw materials we need,” Fyrwald added. “This has really been an industry-wide effort to limit the impacts of the spill. We all are committed to helping the people and environment of the Gulf Coast recover as rapidly as possible.” Nalco provides polymers for dredged material treatment, in addition to other water treatment products. |
| May 4, 2010 - Elastec/American Marine Sends Booms to Oil Spill | |
| Elastec/American Marine has shipped 48,350 feet (9.14 miles) of containment boom to the Gulf of Mexico to assist in containing the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform oil leak. CEO Donnie Wilson, Vice President Jeff Cantrell along with employees Shon Mosier, Charlie Storey and Alex Smith are on location at the spill with the company’s patented Hydro-Fire® Boom system – an inflatable fire resistant, water cooled boom developed to contain surface oil and burn it offshore. Elastec/American Marine assisted BP PLC and the United States Coast Guard with a test burn on Wednesday, April 28, that was successful, and has six more systems en route, with additional burns scheduled to begin this week. The company is also shipping its patented NeatSweep® System for applying dispersants. The system collects a broad swath of oil, funneling the slick into a narrow band where dispersant is applied at full concentration. |
| April 30, 2010 - DSC Consolidates With Subsidiaries Under DSC Dredge LLC | |
| On April 21, Dredging Supply Company, Inc. announced that it had consolidated with its subsidiaries under an umbrella company called DSC Dredge LLC. Prior to the merger, the company was affiliated with many subsidiaries, all focusing on manufacturing and servicing dredges, support equipment, and parts. DSC Dredge LLC was created as an umbrella company to encompass all the sub-companies, including Dredging Supply Company, Inc., Best Equipment, M&S Equipment, Better Dredges, Inc., W&S Dredge Manufacturer, Reliable Gulf South LLC, Dredge Surplus, and Dragados Sud-America (DSA). The idea behind consolidating all companies under one parent company is to allow the corporation to utilize its resources in their entirety, and to open the door for more global opportunities. Under one brand, DSC Dredge LLC can offer dredging solutions ranging from fully automated, touch screen-operated dredges, to mechanically-driven dredges operated by actual levers. W&S Dredge Manufacturer and M&S Equipment both offer mechanically-driven dredges that incorporate DSC’s quality and customer service. |
| April 26, 2010 - Royal BAM to Sell Van Oord Shares to Adjust Loan | |
| Royal BAM Group, Bunnik, The Netherlands, announced on April 21 that it has proposed adjustments to their covenants and extensions of two loans. The banking syndicate of a €200 million subordinated loan and the banking syndicate of a €360 million loan have approved the adjustments. BAM has received approval from more than 90 percent of the fifteen banks in the syndicate of a €550 million facility for the proposed adjustments to this facility One of the main adjustments is to use a part of proceeds from the sale of the group’s 21.5 percent stake in Van Oord (up to a maximum of €120 million) repay the €360 million loan. Also the €550 million facility will be reduced for a same amount. The Group has already indicated the intention to divest the interest in Van Oord for strategic reasons. |
| April 26, 2010 - Prock Marine to Dredge Bass Harbor | |
| Prock Marine Company of Rockland, Maine has received a $1,580,000 contract for maintenance dredging and improvement of Bass Harbor in Tremont, Maine. The proposed navigation work involves maintenance dredging of the Bass Harbor Federal Navigation Project and improvement dredging for harbor deepening and anchorage expansion. Work will consist of mechanical dredging approximately 74,000 cubic yards of fine silts and clay with a small sand component, removing about 100 standard tons of boulders, and blasting and removing approximately 1,760 cubic yards of ledge. The project also includes approximately 11,000 cubic yards of maintenance dredging and 63,000 cubic yards of improvement dredging. Open ocean disposal is at Eastern Passage of Blue Hill Bay six miles from the project site. |
| April 20, 2010 - Simonelli Promoted at Great Lakes Dredge & Dock | |
| David Simonelli has been promoted to president of Dredging Operations at Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation. This is a new position created in a restructuring of the company's dredging operations which was announced on April 20. The company also announced that the position of chief operating officer had been eliminated, and that Richard Lowry, who held that position, had left the company. Simonelli joined the company in 1978 as a field engineer and since then has served as project manager for domestic and international dredging projects. He was named a vice president in 2002. He was involved in putting project cost improvements into place, and especially in the establishment of the company’s incident and injury free (IIF) safety culture. Simonelli holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Rhode Island and is a member of the Hydrographic Society, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Western Dredging Association. Richard M. Lowry has been Chief Operating Officer of Great Lakes since 1991, and he played a major role in the growth of the company's domestic dredging business and its re-integration into international dredging markets. Doug Mackie, president and CEO of Great Lakes, said "... I personally want to thank Richard Lowry for his many years of service and contributions to the company. Richard and I worked together for many years, enjoying many successes. I wish Richard the best in his future endeavors." |
| April 20, 2010 - Great Lakes Group Welcomes Legislation | |
| Glen K. Nekvasil of the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force issued the following statement regarding legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate last week: "Ships working the Great Lakes won’t leave port with their cargo holds less than full once Congress passes legislation introduced in the Senate last week. A bill would require the government to stop diverting the taxes it collects for dredging to paper balance the federal budget and instead spend them for their intended purpose - maintaining the nation’s deep-draft ports and waterways. "Introduced by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), and co-sponsored by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and others, S. 3213 requires the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (“HMTF”) to spend what it takes in each year. The United States levies a tax on cargo moving through deep-draft ports to pay for dredging nationwide that generates significant funds, as much as $1.6 billion per year. However, annual expenditures are less than $800 million. As a result, the fund has a surplus of nearly $5 billion." |
| April 20, 2010 - Ritchie Brothers to Open New Auction Site in Salt Lake | |
| Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA), will celebrate the grand opening of its new regional auction unit in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 22 with a multi-million dollar unreserved public equipment auction starting at 8:00 a.m. Ritchie Bros. senior management and Tooele County Commissioners will participate in a mid-morning ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the new auction site - the company's 41st auction site globally. Ritchie Bros. has been conducting unreserved public auctions at temporary locations in Salt Lake City since 1986. The April 22nd auction will be the 27th held by the company in Salt Lake City since then. Close to 1100 equipment items will be sold to the highest bidders on auction day - regardless of price - with no reserves or minimum bids. Equipment highlights include a large selection of trucks and trailers, aggregate and compaction equipment, agricultural tractors, 60 hydraulic excavators, 35 golf carts, 25 trenchers, wheel loaders, crawler tractors and pipelayers. |
| April 19, 2010 - AGC Urges Administration to Reject 'High Road' Rules | |
| The Associated General Contractors of America cautioned the Obama Administration to reject calls to impose new contracting rules that would allow for blacklisting of companies based on arbitrary reasons, false accusations and unproven anonymous complaints. The proposed changes, referred to as ‘High Road’ contracting rules, also have the potential to delay countless federal construction projects by adding new levels of time-consuming and costly bureaucratic reviews. “Under these proposed rules, it could take little more than an anonymous call to deny a contractor the opportunity to compete for federal contracts” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “With privately funded construction activity continuing to decline, these rules will put many small contractors on the high road to ruin.” Sandherr noted that a report detailing the draft ‘High Road’ contracting rules being circulated ignores existing due process procedures designed to allow contractors engaged in illegal and inappropriate activities to be banned from federal work. In its place, the draft rules encourage federal officials to refuse contracts to firms based on an arbitrary and unproven scoring system, or based on the mere allegation of labor, tax, environmental and other violations. |
| April 18, 2010 - Senators Introduce Bill to Properly Allocate HMTF Funds | |
| On Thursday, April 15, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., introduced legislation to guarantee that fees collected for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) would be used to properly maintain and operate harbors and ports. The Senate bill - S. 3213 - joins a companion House bill - H.R. 4844 - introduced by Reps. Bart Stupak, D-Mich. and Charles Boustany, R-La. Bill Hanson, chairman of the Western Dredging Association board of directors, announced the news at the group’s Midwest Chapter meeting on April 17, saying that industry representatives are optimistic that the measure will pass, as both the Senate and House bills have broad bi-partisan support. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., is an original co-sponsor of the bill, and Kay Bailey Hutchison R-Texas, signed on as the lead Republican co-sponsor. Hanson reported that Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Mary Landrieu, D-La., David Vitter, R-La., Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Susan Collins, R-Maine have also signed on as sponsors. Barry Holliday, chairman of the HMTF Fairness Coalition and executive director of the Dredging Contractors of America, testified before a House subcommittee meeting on the day the bill was introduced, informing the group that “The HMTF has a balance of approximately $5.1 billion. Each year, hundreds of millions of dollars collected for this purpose are not being used to address the backlog of necessary maintenance dredging needed to sustain the country’s deep draft navigation system." In 2009, “only $808 million of dredging and related maintenance costs were reimbursed from the fund through regular appropriations (and) most ports and harbors were unable to be dredged to their authorized project dimensions,” Holliday told the Representatives in his testimony, whose purpose was to urge passage of the Water Rescources Development Act (WRDA) of 2010. He warned them that “the ability of our ports and harbors to support the nation’s continuing growth in trade and in the defense of our nation” hinges on maintaining these ports and entrance channels, both on the nation’s coasts and in the Great Lakes. |
| April 18, 2010 - Hutchison Announces HTMF Support to Constituents | |
| U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R – TX, in announcing her co-sponsorship of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) bill, told her constituents that “Texas’s ports play an important role in moving commerce throughout our nation. Each year, over 500 million tons of cargo move through our state’s seaports. This flow keeps over a million Texans employed and accounts for more than $135 billion in economic value.” “The economic prosperity of our state and nation depend on the viability of our harbor and port system, which serves as a gateway to markets around the world,” she continued. “But in order to maintain their vitality, we must ensure that the money from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is spent on projects to maintain and repair ports these vibrant channels of commerce and not wasted on other unrelated projects.” While HMTF revenues have steadily increased, harbor maintenance appropriations since 2003 have stagnated, resulting in a growing backlog of critical harbor maintenance. Because the revenues and expenditures of the HMTF are part of the overall budget, if the trust fund does not spend all of its revenues, the “surplus” helps offset deficits in the rest of the general budget. The statement concluded, “The HMTF legislation sponsored by Senator Hutchison includes a guarantee that requires that the total amount appropriated from the HMTF each year be equal to the trust fund receipts plus interest as estimated by the President’s budget for that year. If an appropriations bill spending HMTF revenue that does not meet this requirement is brought to the House or Senate, any member would be able to make a point of order against it and the bill would not be allowed to be considered in that form without an overriding vote on specifically spending less than the projected annual HMTF revenue and interest." |
| April 9, 2010 - Manson Awarded Rental Contract | |
| Manson Construction Company has been awarded a $50 million contract for rental of cutterhead dredges to work in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida as well as other Mobile District projects. This project is financed through ARRA (recovery) funds, and was awarded by the Mobile District, Corps of Engineers on April 8. |
| April 5, 2010 - Nehalem Wins Alaska Contract | |
| On April 2, Nehalem River Dredging, Inc. of Nehalem, Oregon, was awarded a contract for the 2010- 2012 maintenance dredging at Homer Harbor, Alaska and the U.S. Coast Guard berthing station at Ninilchik Harbor, Alaska. The contract is for a base year plus two option years. Contract dollar amount is $476,350. |
| April 5, 2010 - National Dredging Meeting Scheduled for May | |
| The Corps of Engineers National Dredging Meeting will be held on May 26 at The Liaison Capital Hill Hotel, 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001. The Wednesday, May 26, 2010, meeting is open to all USACE, dredging industry, port, stakeholder, and partner representatives. Contact Jeff Mckee, Corps Coastal Navigation Program Manager, phone: 202-761-4474; email: Jeffrey.A.McKee (at) usace.army.mil |
| March 18, 2010 - Corps Seeks Comments for Patchogue River Maintenance | |
| The New England District, Corps of Engineers has issued a 15-day public notice involving maintenance dredging in the federal navigation channel in the Patchogue River, Westbrook, Connecticut. The comment period runs from March 17 through April 6. The channel has an authorized depth of 8 feet MLLW and width of 124 feet from deep water in Long Island Sound, extending north about 1850 feet through the inlet to the confluence of the Patchogue and Menunketesuck Rivers. The channel then narrows to 75 feet wide and continues upstream about 3,480 feet to the U.S. Route 1 highway bridge at Westbrook. The channel is widened to 80 feet through the bend abreast the Westbrook town wharf. The proposed work involves maintenance dredging of a portion of the entrance channel. A Public Notice was issued by the Corps of Engineers for this project in August 2006, calling for full maintenance of the Patchogue channel, including the mechanical dredging of about 30,000 cubic yards of material, with disposal at the Cornfield Shoals Disposal Site in Long Island Sound. All appropriate environmental approvals were secured to perform that work. Unfortunately, there are not enough federal funds to perform a full-scale maintenance dredging project. However, now federal funds are available to perform a partial dredging project of the shallowest areas of the entrance channel. The proposal is to dredge the most shoaled portion of the entrance channel to -8 feet mean lower low water (MLLW). This proposal will remove about 10,000 cubic yards of mostly sand from the entrance channel by use of the Government-owned hopper Dredge Currituck. The dredge will place the material in the littoral zone offshore of Hammonasset State Beach, inside the 20-foot contour. The material will then be spread throughout the beach and the littoral zones by natural wave action. This work is anticipated to take place between May and June 2010, pending coordination with the state and federal resource agencies. The Town of Westbrook has requested this maintenance dredging. The channel provides access to and from Long Island Sound to the public and private boating facilities of Westbrook along the Patchogue River. The entrance channel also serves the boating facilities located on the Menunketesuck River. There are approximately 1600 boat slips on the Patchogue River. There are marina facilities, boat dealers, and many other marine-related businesses including repair and service shops, sail and canvas repair and makers, bait and tackle shops, sailing lessons business, and sightseeing and charter fishing boat businesses. Natural shoaling processes have reduced available depths in parts of the channel since the last maintenance dredging in 1997-1998 – making navigation in this harbor difficult. Without dredging, channel conditions will continue to deteriorate, which will deter and/or interfere with the use of the harbor by recreational and commercial vessels. Dredging the Patchogue River with the Currituck will alleviate some of the navigation problems for the local and visiting vessel fleet. The completion of the balance of the dredging work to bring the entire channel to its authorized dimensions will depend on the availability of future federal funds and environmental approvals. The original project was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of September 3, 1954 and was completed in 1956. The project was modified by the Chief of Engineers on April 12, 1983, under the authority of Section 107 of the River and Harbor Act of 1960, to widen the entrance channel from Long Island Sound to 125 feet. The Water Resources Development Act of 1996 further modified the project to its present configuration. The material to be dredged has undergone physical, chemical, and biological testing and is expected to satisfy the criteria for near-shore placement off of Hammonasset State Beach, in Madison, Connecticut. |
| March 18, 2010 - New England District Plans Partial Dredging of Clinton Entrance | |
| The New England District, Corps of Engineers plans to perform maintenance dredging federal navigation project in Clinton, Connecticut, using the Government-owned hopper Dredge Currituck. This proposed work involves partial maintenance dredging of the entrance channel at Clinton Harbor, which consists of an 8-foot channel at mean lower low water (MLLW), 100 feet wide, from Long Island Sound to the upper ends of the wharves at Clinton; an 8-foot anchorage area extending 600 feet above the end of the channel with widths of 150 to 250 feet and extending 50 feet south of the channel; and a stone dike between Cedar Island and the mainland. The channel now has a controlling depth of two feet in places. The entrance channel was last maintained in June 2000 by the Currituck, and a public notice was issued by the Corps of Engineers for this project in June 2007, calling for full maintenance of the navigation project, using a hydraulic dredge pumping about 45,000 cubic yards of material directly onto Hammonasset State Beach. All appropriate environmental approvals were secured to perform that work, but there are not enough federal funds to perform a full-scale maintenance dredging project at this point. Fortunately, the existing federal funds will allow a partial dredging project of the shallowest areas of the entrance channel into Clinton Harbor to about -5 feet mean lower low water (MLLW), instead of the authorized -8-foot MLLW project described in the June 2007 public notice. This proposal will remove about 20,000 cubic yards of shoal material from about two to 2.5 acres of the entrance channel. The Currituck will place the material in the littoral zone offshore of the Hammonasset State Beach, and it will be spread throughout the beach and the littoral zones by natural wave action. The project is anticipated for May and June of this year. The Federal channel and anchorage areas in Clinton Harbor were authorized by the River & Harbor Act of March 2, 1945, and completed in 1950. The project serves 13 commercial marinas and about 1,150 recreational boats. The controlling depth in the federal channel is two feet MLLW in some places. This reduction in available channel depth is a safety hazard, with increased potential for vessel groundings. Bringing the Clinton Harbor Federal navigation project to its full authorized dimensions will depend on the availability of federal funds in the future. |
| March 17, 2010 - Orion to Establish West Coast Base | |
| Orion Marine Group, Inc. (NYSE: ORN) is establishing a base to serve the U.S. Pacific Northwest and West Coast through the acquisition of marine equipment items from a private company exiting the marine construction business. The cost of the equipment is $7 million. The items include derrick barges, cranes, hammers and ancillary equipment. Additionally, the company has hired several key personnel with West Coast heavy civil marine construction experience to help establish a new greenfield base to serve the area, including Canada and Alaska. A new yard and office will be established on a waterfront site leased from the Port of Tacoma. Most of the equipment will be leased back to the selling company to facilitate completion of a naval base marine pier project that the seller expects to complete during the latter part of 2010. |
| March 17, 2010 - McGraw-Hill and AGC Sign Publishing Agreement | |
| McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), has signed an agreement with the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) to publish Constructor, the official magazine of the AGC, and the AGC Online Membership Directory for the next two years.The contract was announced today at AGC's 91st Annual Convention and Pavilion in Orlando, Florida. “It is a challenging time for our nation and our industry, driven in large part by the economy, but also by the ever-accelerating pace of technology,” said Robert D. Stuono, Senior Vice President and General Manager of McGraw-Hill Construction. “In this environment, there is a heightened need for information, whether it relates to where contractors get their next job, what impact legislation has on construction activity, or what the latest trends are for sustainable building and design. Through our information products and services, we are committed to helping the industry emerge stronger than before and excited to continue working with the AGC to publish Constructor and its Online Membership Directory.” This new contract continues the two organizations’ existing agreement that began in February 2005. New capabilities and enhancements for Constructor magazine, which is delivered to 34,000 AGC members, and the Online Membership Directory, which features company profiles and powerful search capabilities, are planned for later this year. |
| March 12, 2010 - Dredging Community Should Unite Behind Chuck Hummer for ALS Research | |
| Larry Patella is urging the dredging community to donate to Chuck Hummer's Panama Canal Museum team on tomorrow's Walk to Defeat ALS. He said : "Chuck Hummer is a lifelong friend, former WEDA president, chairman of the Board, former head of the Corps of Engineers Dredging Division and former Chief of Panama Canal Dredging Department." Patella is executive director of the Western Dredging Association. "Some of our newer members may not know Chuck, but his support of WEDA before he was stricken with ALS was OUTSTANDING. "Chuck has for years, been combating ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. Some of you may have seen him buzzing around in his wheel chair at Wodcon 18 in Orlando. “If our more than 4000 members would donate just one dollar each to Chuck's ALS Fund raising efforts, he would be more than half way to his goal. Chuck Hummer said: “The walk is the biggest source of the funds for the ALS Association Florida Chapter. The Chapter has done and is doing so much for Sandy and me as well as all the nearly 700 ALS patients it serves around the state. The monthly support groups, regional state special ALS clinics, well equipped loan closets and a staff that has become really a part of our families. “Last week our Chapter social worker and good friend led us with all the right questions and advice as Sandy and I had our first meeting with the local Hospice to be prepared for the rest of our journey. She also facilitates our support group meetings and is present for each of the monthly ALS clinic days. I don't know what we would do without the Chapter and Christine Bright. “This will be our fifth walk, so I am beating the odds so far. It takes place this Saturday (March13) on River Walk in Tampa, and over 1,000 are being expected. I waved off my local loyal team walkers so it may be that Sandy, my grandson, Zach and I will make up Team Panama Canal Museum but we will be joining the rest of the enthusiastic walkers. “Please do us a favor and make a donation to support the cause. No matter the amount, every donation will help us meet our $200,000 goal this year. (For clarification our team goal is only $6,000.) “It is really simple to donate and sign up on line by going to: (please cut and paste this link to Chuck' ALS home page) http://web.alsa.org/site/TR/Walks/FloridaWalk?px=1104783&pg=personal&fr_id=6237&et=k52ggf7zi5marJVi0PinVA..&s_tafId=126644 “On the other hand some do not feel comfortable or have the ability to make an on line donation, then mail me a check made out to the ALS Association Florida Chapter and mail it me at: Chuck aka Charlie Hummer 4480 Mainlands Blvd W Pinellas Park, FL 33782 “By the way, I always read how courageous and smiling terminally ill people are. Well be advised, I am neither. I am petrified of complete paralysis and I sure ain't smiling. I do thank my God for having given me a devoted and loving wife to hold me up and together.” Patella said "What better tribute could we pay a great dredger and friend who according to his email is making arrangements to enter Hospice. Personally I am going to donate $100 to Chuck's fund and ask the WEDA Board to Authorize a donation of $500. Would be nice to if you could send your checks, credit card donation or cash to WEDA and we could bundle up the money and send it to Chuck from his Friends at WEDA. $1 IS NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR AN OLD FRIEND.” |
| March 12, 2010 - Editor's Plea: Help Chuck Hummer Meet His Goal | |
| Due to a computer glitch, Chuck Hummer’s letter to request donations to the Panama Canal Museum ALS Walk team did not go out in January, which he just discovered on March 11, two days before the walk. His team usually is one of the top fund raisers because of the dredging friends around the world who are supporting him. I am issuing a personal request to all IDR readers to please donate to his team today, so his goal of $6000 (now just at $1600) can be reached by tomorrow. Cut and paste this link to donate: http://web.alsa.org/site/TR/Walks/FloridaWalk?px=1104783&pg=personal&fr_id=6237&et=k52ggf7zi5marJVi0PinVA..&s_tafId=126644 Chuck says this is his fifth ALS walk, and he is still beating the odds for survival with this cruel disease. Please join me in fixing the computer error that made these past two months so disappointing for Chuck, and let’s help him meet his $6000 goal today. I personally donated $100 this morning. He will appreciate any amount, however small, and it adds up. Judith Powers, Editor, International Dredging Review |
| February 19, 2010 - Port Manatee Seeks Bids for Major Dredging Project | |
| The Manatee County Port Authority, Palmetto, Florida, is seeking bids for a major dredging project at its new Berth 12. Bids will be accepted until March 22, 2010. The project will provide a depth of 41 feet at mean low-low-water, with an additional foot of draft for ships using the south channel area of the port. The nearly 1,600-foot-long berth is designed to accommodate containerized shipping and is expected to be operational by late 2010. Berth 12 completes a $200 million port expansion project started in 1999. The base bid for the project includes excavation and hydraulic dredging of nearly 760,000 cubic yards of material and removal to a certified uplands dredged material placement site. A bid alternate calls for dredging and removal of an additional 370,000 cubic yards of material. The port authority will receive sealed bids until March 22nd at 2 p.m. The request for proposal is on the port’s Web site at www.portmanatee.com/requests.aspx. |
| February 18, 2010 - Ritchie Selling Houston Site | |
| Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is selling its former 40+/- -acre auction site just off the I-10 East Highway, Houston, Texas, during an upcoming two-day unreserved public equipment auction at the company's new Houston permanent auction site (15500 Eastex Freeway) in Humble from March 24 to March 25 starting at 8:00 a.m. each day. The land will be sold on Wednesday, March 24, at noon to the highest bidder regardless of price. |
| February 18, 2010 - Time to Send Papers for Panama Dredging Meeting | |
| The Western Dredging Association (WEDA) technical paper committee, in conjunction with the Panama Chapter, is putting together the final program agenda for the April 25-28 Panama Chapter conference. If you are planning on making a presentation, please email to Ram Mohan and Carlos Reyes the title of your presentation along with your author information by the end of the week of February 28th. This is the last opportunity to submit a paper for this conference, which concentrates on the widening and deepening of the Panama Canal. Email the above requested information to Ram Mohan at rmohan@anchorqea.com with a copy to Carlos Reyes, Panama Chapter President at OPDV-OF1@pancanal.com The event will include technical sessions, an opening Ice Breaker, field trips to Panama Canal dredging sites and a golf tournament on April 25, plus a post conference tour on April 29th. |
| February 10, 2010 - Contaminated Sediment Symposium Scheduled for New Jersey | |
| Dr. Robert Engler of Moffatt & Nichol, Phil Spadaro of Arcadis USA and Ken Hayes of Aqua Survey Inc. are three of the nine speakers who will address the March 24 Mid-Atlantic Contaminated Sediment/Soils Symposium. To be held at the Liberty Harbor Restaurant in Jersey City, New Jersey, the symposium will address programs, sediment assessments and cost-effective remediation strategies. Speakers will conclude with a short list of do’s and don’ts. The symposium is sponsored by Aqua Survey Inc., and is free, but pre-registration is required. Contact Don Nazario, Nazario@aquasurvey.com; www.aquasurvey.com to sign up. |
| February 8, 2010 - Comittee Selects 37 Papers for Annual Meeting | |
| The Western Dredging Association (WEDA) Technical Paper Committee has chosen 37 papers to be presented at the group’s annual meeting, to be held June 6 – 9 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The first day of the event comprises the Texas A&M Dredging Seminar. Registration and hotel information is on the WEDA Web site: www.westerndredging.org |
| January 27, 2010 - Midwest Chapter to Meet April 14 - 16 | |
| The WEDA Midwest Chapter will hold its annual meeting on April 14 through 16 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, Chicago, Illinois. The event begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14 with registration, and continues through noon on Friday, April 16. The field trip is an architectural boat tour of Chicago. Technical papers on the theme “The Importance of Dredging to the Environment and the Economy” can be submitted to George Berken, secretary/treasurer at 920-225-6141, email: George.Berken@Boldt.Com Companies interested in sponsoring this event, should contact Tim Briggs, president, at 312-492-6593; email: tbriggs@wrscompass.com. Chapter vice president is Kevin Slattery, phone: 314- 865-6311; email: Kevin.P.Slattery@usace.army.mil. Contact any of the officers for more information. The hotel is at 301 East North Water Street, Chicago, IL 60611; reservations phone: 800-325-3535; www.starwoodhotels.com/chicago |
| January 25, 2010 - NWC Legislative Summit Planned for March 9 and 10 | |
| The National Waterways Conference (NWC) will hold its annual Legislative Summit on March 9 and 10 at the Phoenix Park Hotel in Washington D.C., two blocks from the Capitol Building. A notice from the NWC states “As the Congress convenes for the Second Session of the 111th Congress, 2010 promises to be a challenging year as we seek to ensure a reasonable and balanced approach to the multitude of significant issues facing the water resources industry. The legislative and policy changes currently under consideration by the Administration and the Congress are unprecedented in their scope and effect. At the forefront is likely to be a Water Resources Development Act. Other initiatives include the proposed sweeping changes to the Principles and Guidelines issued by the Council on Environmental Quality, a Clean Water Restoration Act, a draft Sustainable Watershed Planning Act, additional restrictions on floodplain management, and the need to find a long-term mechanism to fund the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.” Congressional and executive branch officials and waterways industry leaders will be present to discuss policy and program expectations for the coming year. Contact the organization at www.waterways.org |
| January 22, 2010 - RAMP Plans Maritime Industry Sail-In on May 13 | |
| RAMP (Realize America’s Maritime Promise) members, including Maritime Organizations and Associations in the Washington, D.C. area, have planned an advocacy day on May 13. The purpose of the “Maritime Industry Sail-In” on the Capitol Hill is to increase Congressional awareness of the importance of America's maritime industry to the economic and national security of the United States, and to generate support for the programs and policies important to the survival and growth of the United States-flag merchant marine and to the jobs of American merchant mariners and America's maritime workforce, according to a letter from Barry Holliday. The event’s Web site http://maritimeindustrysailin.com contains complete information on the event. |
| January 22, 2010 - Crowley Establishing Unloading Capability at Port-au-Prince | |
| News from Crowley Maritime, Jacksonville, Florida: On Wednesday, January 20, Crowley Maritime Corporation, working under contract with the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), unloaded Haiti relief cargo in Rio Haina, Dominican Republic. Fifty six of the 68 20-foot containers of water and meals-ready-to-eat (MREs) were trucked across the border into Haiti. The remaining 12 loads aboard the container ship Marcajama were transported by water to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. They will be offloaded in an experimental lightering operation and delivered across a beach today (Friday, January 22.) If this method is successful, future shipments could be made directly to Port-au-Prince. The Crowley plan calls for the Marcajama to anchor offshore near the port's damaged south pier and near the exposed beach. Using a shipboard crane on the Marcajama, the 12 remaining containers would be lowered onto a smaller vessel operated by G and G Shipping and delivered across the beach on wheels. A team from Crowley's TITAN Salvage subsidiary surveyed the port area Monday and determined that such an operation was possible. They also determined that it would be possible to establish a temporary docking structure on the beach using a Crowley 400-foot-long by 100-foot-wide flat deck barge. Crowley is mobilizing such a barge (the 410) and a crane from Orange, Texas that could be used for cargo discharge, and plans to have both on the scene in Port-au-Prince on or about Feb. 2. |
| January 15, 2010 - CSA Says Port-au-Prince Cargo Piers Still Down | |
| The Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) responded to IDR's request for information with the following email: "The CSA only knows that Terminal Varreux lost most of the general cargo piers #3 and #4. The North pier of the PAP public pier, the only pier authorized by the national port authority since 2007 to receive containers in Pap, at present cannot receive containers." |
| January 15, 2010 - U.S. Marines Deploy to Haiti | |
| The Camp Lejeune, North Carolina-based 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) has deployed to Haiti to assist in disaster relief efforts in the wake of an earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation January 12. The 22nd MEU embarked aboard the amphibious ships USS Bataan, Fort McHenry and Carter Hall, and consists of its Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; Combat Logistics Battalion 22; Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461; and its Command Element. The MEU is composed of approximately 2,200 Marines and sailors, and recently returned from a seven-month deployment to U.S. European and Central Commands. |
| January 14, 2010 - Haitian Seaport Severely Damaged | |
| The aftermath of the January 12 earthquake: Initial U.S. Coast Guard reports from the on-scene assessments of the port in Port-au-Prince indicate the port has been severely damaged by the earthquake. The reports also stated that five cranes at the port were either damaged, unstable or submerged as a result of the earthquake and the waters outside the port are covered with debris, garbage and containers. There can be no containers unloaded at the port, and ships delivering breakbulk and other non-containerized cargo will have to use shipboard cranes to unload. There are also unknown navigation hazards in the port and entrance channel. The Coast Guard has also reported multiple oil and fuel spills, sewage spills, and multiple fires along the shoreline. The Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) reported that a dockworker reported to them by Blackberry: “Terminal Varreux lost most of the general cargo piers #3 and #4. At the time of the quake we were unloading a vessel, we lost approx. 30 dock workers who drowned. The situation is disastrous for the entire country. The days and weeks will be challenging. We appreciate your support,” (signed) Richard Lebrun, Terminal Varreux (Port-au-Prince) Carlos Urriola, president of the CSA, said "The CSA stands with you in this hour of disaster and pledges to do all in its power to assist the recovery and rebuilding process. In this situation, you are not alone." |
| January 12, 2010 - Coast Guard Establishes Two-Mile Safety Zone at Morehead City | |
| The Coast Guard is working with local and state agencies in Morehead City, North Carolina in response to a hazardous material release in the state port terminal during offload today. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Capt. June Ryan, has established a two-nautical-mile temporary safety zone around the state port until the situation is safely resolved. |
| January 11, 2010 - Papers Sought for European Hydro Conference | |
| A call for papers is in effect for the International Federation of Hydrographic Societies’ 18th biennial European hydrographic conference, to be held November 2 through 5 in Warnemunde in northern Germany. The deadline to receive abstracts is March 31. Scheduled topics include Hydrographic Surveys, Geophysics, Survey Platforms & Positioning, Coastal Mapping, Electronic Charting, Tides and Currents, Data Management, Marine Renewables, Education and Standards. English-language abstracts of no more than 300 words for presentations on any of these or related issues can be submitted no later than March 31. With the abstract, include the title of the proposed paper; author’s name and contact information, including title, employer, address, telephone and email; and identification of primary author and intended presenter. Submit abstracts via email: paper@hydro2010.com, or fax: +49 381 44079 299. The conference web site is www.hydro2010.com |
| January 7, 2010 - Three Dead at St. Louis ABB Plant | |
| A shooting at an ABB plant in St. Louis, Missouri on Thursday, January 7 has left three people dead, including the shooter – said to be a disgruntled former employee. ABB supplies the dredging and marine industries, among other industries, with electric propulsion and automation systems. The company’s transformers are manufactured at the St. Louis plant. ABB is headquartered in Switzerland and has dozens of facilities in the United States, as well as throughout the world. |
| January 7, 2010 - Final Dry Excavation Contract Awarded by ACP | |
| The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has awarded the fourth and final dry excavation (PAC-4) contract to FCC-ICA-Meco, to help create an access channel linking the new Pacific locks with the Canal’s existing Gaillard Cut - the narrowest stretch of the Panama Canal. The contracting process began July 31, 2009 when the ACP released its request for proposals (RFP) for the excavation project. On December 22, 2009, the ACP received four bids for the contract. Following a comprehensive review, the ACP determined that the lowest bidder, FCC-ICA-Meco – a Spanish, Mexican and Costa Rican joint venture, met the requirements of the RFP, and awarded the contract to this consortium. The bids were: Odebrecht: $379,803,132.13 Jan de Nul - Chec: $359,102,231.18 FCC-ICA-Meco: $267,798,795.99 ISC Panamá: $294,913,000.00 |
| January 5, 2010 - Agg1 Show Planner Now Online | |
| Aggregate industry professionals can go online to access all the information they need to register for and participate in the upcoming AGG1 Aggregates Forum & Expo and World of Asphalt Show and Conference. The show web sites feature an interactive My Show Planner to help attendees organize their itinerary ahead of time. Sites are: www.worldofasphalt.com or www.agg1.org The joint conferences will be held February 15-18, 2010 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Agg1 Academy will include a number of educational sessions on dredging issues, as well as general topics of interest to all aggregate producers. |
| January 5, 2010 - Teledesign Delivers Radio Modems to Seattle District | |
| Teledesign Systems, Inc. has delivered 20 of their new model TS4000 radio modems to the Seattle District, Corps of Engineers for use in dredge positioning and navigation. The transmitter/receiver units will be installed along with GPS receivers at known points along navigation channels in the district, and will transmit position corrections to receivers on dredges and survey boats for centimeter accuracy. The company’s AirNet packet protocol allows one unit to transmit to receivers on a number of dredges and survey boats. |
| December 28, 2009 - R.S. Weeks to Dredge In Southwest Pass | |
| Weeks Marine’s 30-inch, 11,000 horsepower cutterhead dredge R.S. Weeks will begin a maintenance contract in Louisiana’s Southwest Pass on January 10. On December 21, Weeks Marine was awarded the $7,908,571 contract for maintenance dredging in the Lower Mississippi River from Mile 5 Above Head of Passes to mile 19.5 Below Head of Passes. |
| December 17, 2009 - CORRECTION: Panama Conference Dates | |
| The Panama Chapter of the Western Dredging Association will meet on April 25 through 28. Please cut and paste this link for detailed information: http://westerndredging.org/upcoming.php#weda_panama Look for further information in our News and Updates and also in our Features section. |
| December 15, 2009 - Wilber Rodriguez Dies | |
| It is with great sorrow that we report that Wilbur Rodriguez died this morning – December 15, 2009. He was a partner with Thomas B. Wetta in Kenner Marine and Machinery, and later connected with Dredging Supply Company, remaining active until his death. He was born on November 13, 1929. His funeral will be on Saturday December 19th at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 13396 River Road, Destrehan, Louisiana. Viewing is from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. and he will rest at the St. Charles Borromeo Mausoleum. Robert Wetta, president of Dredging Supply Company, said: “Today marks a sad day for the DSC family with the passing of Wilber Rodriguez. Please pray for Mrs. Loretta and Alicia for their strength and understanding during this difficult time. Let us rejoice as we remember Wilber and his character; a caring man, a gentle man, spreader of happiness, dedicated to his family, dedicated to his work and a man that put everyone else's feelings and needs ahead of his own. “Everyone that Wilber touched has their own special memories of him and I am confident to say that your memory included a smile, a laugh, probably a joke that you would later tell to someone else. His joy was infectious to those that knew him. “Let Wilber now rest in PEACE and continue spreading his special joy to the Heavens. “Interestingly enough – today is the anniversary of my Dad’s (Thomas B. Wetta’s) death. Not sure if it was coincidence or not. Many people think my Dad and Wilber are already planning about what dredge they will buy next. Two good friends reunited.” |
| December 14, 2009 - Taylor Announces Jupiter Inlet Sand Trap Contract | |
| Taylor Engineering has advertised a contract to dredge a sand trap at Jupiter Inlet in Palm Beach County, Florida. Bids will be received until 2 p.m., Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Work may not commence until March 1, and completion is by April 30, 2010. Dredging quantity is 30,000 to 45,000 cubic yards. Bid documents can be downloaded from: http://www.taylorengineering.com/dlforms/JupiterSandTrap.html; Documents can be viewed at: Jupiter Inlet District Taylor Engineering, Inc.; 400 North Delaware Blvd.; 10151 Deerwood Park Blvd. Bldg. 300 Suite 300; Jupiter, Florida 33458 Jacksonville, Florida 32256; Phone: 561-746-2223 or 904-731-7040. |
| December 14, 2009 - WEDA Panama Chapter Issues Call for Papers | |
| The Western Dredging Association (WEDA) Panama Chapter has issued a call for papers for its annual meeting to be held April 26 through 28, 2010, at the Hotel El Panama Convention Center in Panama. The theme of the conference is “Dredging and the Panama Canal Expansion – An Update”, and will focus on dredging and environmental issues associated with dredging projects in Panama. Abstracts can be submitted to Carlos A. Reyes R., email: OPDV-OF1@pancanal.com; Dr. Ram Mohan, email: rmohan@anchorqea.com; or Dr. Robert E. Randall, email: r-randall@tamu.edu |
| December 4, 2009 - Ritchie Bros. To Acquire Martella Auction Company | |
| Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (NYSE and TSX: RBA) has announced an agreement to acquire the auction business and certain assets of Martella Auction Company, Inc., a Tipton, California-based auctioneer of agricultural and industrial equipment. Ritchie Bros. also intends to enter into an agreement to lease the roughly 65-acre Martella auction site. The acquisition is intended to expand and strengthen Ritchie Bros.' presence in the used agricultural and industrial equipment markets in California, and establishes an additional auction site in a proven auction market. Jeremy Martella, principal owner and operator, will join the Ritchie Bros. team as the Area Manager of this new auction site effective upon closing. |
| December 3, 2009 - AGC Predicts Drop in Federal Highway and Transit Funding | |
| Nearly 20 Percent Decline in Construction Spending Will Cost Over 430,000 Jobs Next Year for Hard Hit Construction Industry and Other Fields, Contractors Predict Federal investments in highways and transit systems are expected to decline by over $15 billion in 2010 compared to this year according to analysis of transportation spending trends conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The estimated 19.3 percent drop in federal formula and stimulus funding for transportation projects next year is likely to force more than 430,000 layoffs throughout the economy, the association predicted. “Boosting transportation investments will keep thousands of construction workers employed at a time when our economy can scarcely afford more layoffs,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, aGC chief executive officer, noting that the construction unemployment rate is already at 18.7 percent. “The success of the stimulus in saving countless construction jobs will have been in vain if its sequel is underinvestment in our roads, bridges and transit systems,” he said. |
| December 3, 2009 - Contractors Launch Ad Campaign Calling for Funding | |
| U.S. contractors have launched a multi-media ad campaign addressing President Obama's national Jobs Summit today (Thursday, December 3). The 28 national associations and labor groups of the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) are launching the campaign calling on Congress and the Administration to create thousands of long-term, sustainable American jobs by passing a new six-year highway/transit authorization bill. The existing investment law - the Safe, Accountable, Flexible Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users SAFETEA-LU) - expired on September 30. The TCC will run 60-second radio ads during morning “drive time” on news talk station WTOP in Washington, D.C., highlighting that construction industry unemployment is twice the national average. A companion Internet ad is being produced for online placement. “Transportation investment creates jobs, gets America moving again and helps lay the road to economic recovery. Tell Congress to pass the six year highway and transit program bill NOW,” the ads proclaim. A “Jobs Check List” print ad is also running today on the The Washington Post Federal Page. Over the past few weeks, the ad, which was also developed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Public Transportation Association, has been appearing in widely-read Capitol Hill publications such as Roll Call, National Journal, Congress Daily, Congressional Quarterly and Politico. The transportation design and construction industry has been hard hit by the recession. While the economic stimulus law likely saved thousands of construction-related jobs in 2009, it was not enough to prevent wide-spread lay-offs among road and transit construction business. The outlook for next year is bleak, too, absent congressional action. According to a recent nationwide survey of more than 500 highway and transit contractors, 44 percent anticipate having to lay off additional permanent employees in 2010 because of overall economic conditions. Aggregate producers, many of whose major market is highway construction, have been gravely affected by the lack of highway construction funding. The TCC ads can be found at: www.transportationconstructioncoalition.org |
| December 2, 2009 - Markel Ventures Acquires Ellicott Dredges | |
| On the eve of the 125th anniversary of its founding in 1885, Ellicott Dredge Enterprises, LLC, announced today that Markel Ventures, a subsidiary of Markel Corporation, has acquired a majority interest in the Ellicott. Terms were not disclosed. Markel Ventures is based in Richmond, Virginia, and is pursuing an investment strategy of buying controlling interests in companies with leading market positions and strong management teams and holding those interests for the long term. "This is an excellent fit for us at Ellicott," said Peter Bowe, president of Ellicott, which serves clients in dozens of countries around the world. "We intend to continue our growth both organically and through acquisitions, as we have in the past. Markel will be a good long-term partner in our infrastructure-oriented businesses." As part of the transaction, BB&T Bank extended an expanded working capital line to Ellicott, which has no debt on its balance sheet. |
| November 16, 2009 - Port of Houston Commissioners Consider Funding for Dredging | |
| At their meeting on Tuesday, November 17, the commissioners of the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) will consider authorizing up to $20.1 million for the port authority's share of the 2010 costs for construction and rehabilitation of dredged material disposal and beneficial use sites for the Houston Ship Channel. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the boardroom of the PHA Executive Building,111 East Loop North (Exit 29 off Loop 610) in Houston. Chairman Jim Edmonds will preside, with Commissioners Steve Phelps, Jim Fonteno, Kase Lawal, Jimmy Burke, Janiece Longoria, and Elyse Lanier attending. The commissioners will also consider matters involving the purchase of deregulated electricity, group employee insurance, delinquent taxes and continued participation in the innovative Clean and Green Port of Houston program. |
| November 16, 2009 - Van Oord to Dredge in Suape, Brazil | |
| On November 11, Van Oord received a dredging contract in Suape Harbor, Brazil. The client is Suape Complexo Industrial Portuario Governador Eraldo Gueiros, port operator and public institution of the state of Pernambuco, and the contract is worth EUR 35 million. The project will start in mid-December 2009 and take six months to complete. |
| November 15, 2009 - Marine Beacons Rushed to Gulf Coast | |
| Less than 24 hours after Hurricane Ida reached the coast of Louisiana, trucks were leaving Tideland Signal’s factory loaded with solar powered marine beacons and fog signals needed to mark the Gulf Coast’s vital offshore oil wells. Emergency spares, sent to replace existing equipment damaged during the hurricane, arrived at coastal staging areas ready for immediate deployment well before the coastal helicopter and workboat fleets were set to depart offshore. Tideland Signal factories in Texas and Louisiana are working round the clock to ensure additional equipment is ready for immediate delivery as the crews start to learn the real effect of Hurricane Ida. |
| November 12, 2009 - Boskalis, Smit Agree to Merge | |
| Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. and Smit Internationale N.V. have reached an agreement in principle on a full merger of the two companies, whereby all the activities of Smit will be continued in the combined company, referred to as the group. The two companies intend to reach a transaction through a public offer of EUR 60 in cash by Boskalis for all outstanding shares in Smit. The business combination will create a maritime service provider offering an excellent platform for further growth. Boskalis and Smit have agreed that the existing business plans will serve as the basis for the further expansion of the group, and that further growth and development of all ongoing activities will be supported. Smit’s activities will be continued under the Smit name, operating out of the existing head office in Rotterdam. The terminals activities of Smit and Boskalis's associate Lamnalco will be integrated, creating a global leader in the maritime oil and gas terminal arena. Activities of the group, including harbor towage, will create synergies in the area of exchanges, procurement and crewing of vessels. |
| November 2, 2009 - CARIS Seeks Papers for March User Conference | |
| Deadline for submission of abstracts for "CARIS 2010: Stronger Together – People, Products, Infrastructure" is November 23, 2009. The five-day event will be held from March 22 through 25, 2010 in Miami, Florida. The program will focus on the innovation and integration of geospatial technologies in the areas of hydrographic survey, ports and waterways, chart production and web mapping. Abstracts can be submitted online at http://www.caris.com/caris2010. More information on the event can be found on the same web site. |
| October 29, 2009 - Waterway Closure Announced | |
| Due to the scheduled replacement of the swing span of the Ben Sawyer Bridge, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) will be closed to marine traffic from Monday, November 30, 2009 at 12:00 A.M. to Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 11:59 P.M. The Ben Sawyer Bridge is a swing span bridge that connects the South Carolina towns of Sullivan’s Island and Mount Pleasant over the Intracoastal Waterway A safety zone will be enforced around the Ben Sawyer Bridge during the entire 10 day closure. The safety zone will encompass the entire waterway from 180 yards northwest of the bridge, and 220 yards southwest of the bridge. No one may enter the safety zone without prior authorization from the captain of the Port Charleston or his designated representative. Mariners are encouraged to listen to the broadcast notice to mariners for updates on VHF Ch 16. CG Sector Charleston will broadcast the closure, as well as the implementation and rescission of the corresponding safety zone for the bridge. Updates to the schedule are dependent on weather and will be made to this MSIB, as necessary. For questions regarding the bridge construction call Julie Hussey with PCL at (843) 224-1096 or Kim Partenheimer with PB Americas at (843) 972-1775. For Coast Guard issues, please contact the Coast Guard’s 24 hour Command Center Line at (843) 740-7050. |
| October 29, 2009 - Weeks Receives $62 million Louisiana Contract | |
| Weeks Marine, Inc., Covington, Louisiana, was awarded on Oct. 26, 2009 a $61,810,000 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging approximately 6.8 miles of navigation channel and the design and construction of five new dredged material placement areas, including the proposed Shoal Point Pas 2,3,4, and 5, and the Pelican Island placement area. In additional work will include levee repair and rehabilitation, levee raising and shore protection for upland Pas 5 and 6. The levee repairs consist of restoring the levees to conditions prior to Hurricane Ike. Levee improvement includes levee raising and shore protection. Work is to be performed in Galveston County, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 30, 2011. Three bids were solicited with three bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-10-C-0004). |
| October 26, 2009 - Texas A&M On Top 20 Research List | |
| The National Science Foundation has named Texas A&M University as the only new member of the NSF’s annual list of the Top 20 Academic Research Performers in the United States. Texas A&M joins an elite list including such standouts as the Johns Hopkins University, Ohio State, Penn State, Duke University, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – and is the only Texas institution to rank in the NSF’s Top 20 for 2009. Each year, the NSF surveys 690 U.S. institutions and ranks them according to their research and development expenditures in science and engineering. For 2008, Texas A&M’s research expenditures increased by 6.99 percent to $582 million. This pushed Texas A&M up two places on the 2009 NSF list from No. 22 to No. 20, displacing Washington University of St. Louis, Missouri, which had been a member of the NSF Top 20 since 1999. |
| October 26, 2009 - Maritime Group Raises $15,000 for Veterans | |
| The community of American maritime carriers and operating unions in Washington, DC has raised $15,000 to help build specially adapted homes for American veterans with serious disabilities and injuries. These funds will be donated to Homes for Our Troops, a non-profit charitable organization based in Taunton, Massachusetts. Half of these contributions are corporate donations from Matson, American Roll-on Roll-off Carriers, Maersk, APL, K&L Gates, Horizon Lines, and the American Waterways Operators. The other half is from individuals who represent maritime interests in the Nation’s Capital in various capacities. Homes for Our Troops was founded in 2004 by John Gonsalves, a construction supervisor in Massachusetts, who saw a news report of a severely injured service member who had returned from Iraq. He searched for an organization where he could donate his building expertise for a few weeks to help these individuals. When he found none, he quit his job and started Homes for Our Troops. |
