Weekly News Summary For June 15-21, 2009:
More than 35 people attended a meeting to discuss safety concerns at the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier construction site on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) in Eastern New Orleans. The meeting included a tour of the construction site aboard the mv. James G. Hines, provided by American Commercial Lines.
The Corps of Engineers and prime contractor Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure Group outlined their plans to make the projected 100 daily crossings of the GIWW safe for tows running east and west on the waterway. Currently about 60 construction-related crossings occur at the site daily.
The Coast Guard and industry projected as many as 22 tows would transit the construction site daily. During the first 10 days of construction at the site of the sector gate crossing the GIWW, an average of only 13 tows passed daily, said Vic Zillmer, civilian construction manager for the Corps.
The lower number of tows could be an indication of the economic downturn, suggested Raymond Butler, executive director of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA).
Already Shaw has stationed the Fred Settoon as the “watchdog” boat to provide on-site traffic control. The Fred Settoon has been standing by on VHF Channel 16, but at the request of industry, it will monitor VHF Channel 13 for bridge-to-bridge passing arrangements….
Among the waterways projects to benefit from funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), few are as critical as the Port of Mobile’s turning basin, say the project’s backers. Listed by the Corps of Engineers as an authorized project since early 2007, it will receive $24,985,000 in ARRA funds, which will enable its completion.
The Alabama State Port Authority had identified the 1,550- by 870-foot turning basin as a “critical need” project. Expanding the basin will be the final phase of a widening and deepening project for Mobile Harbor. The basin is key to the long-term success of the $300 million Mobile Container Terminal, allowing 900-foot long ships and beyond to visit the port. The Corps of Engineers was scheduled to let the dredging contract in early June, according to port officials.
1,200-foot and 2,100-foot channel extensions, dredged to 45 feet, will support vessel service at the port authority’s McDuffie Coal Terminal, as well as the newly opened container terminal and the future Pinto Steel Terminal, now scheduled to open in December.
“Funding for this project could not have come at a more critical time for the port. Our terminals on the lower harbor are experiencing significant growth in both vessel activity and volume,” said Jimmy Lyons, director and chief executive officer for the port authority. …
With a Coast Guard cutter’s cannon booming salutes on the Mississippi River, Rear Adm. Mary E. Landry relieved Rear Adm. Joel R. Whitehead as the commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District in an impressive ceremony at the Port of New Orleans on June 5.
Adm. Landry becomes the first female commander of the Eighth District.
Following the ceremony, Adm. Whitehead retired. He said he hopes to remain in the Gulf Coast region with his wife Martha.
Whitehead assumed command of the Eighth District in 2006, shortly after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast. Many Coasties had lost their homes, facilities had been destroyed or severely damaged and working conditions were cramped.
He moved quickly to restore morale and was very successful in rallying the overworked crews.
During his three years as district commander, the Eighth District orchestrated 8,140 search and rescue cases, which resulted in 2,200 lives saved, in addition to conducting more than 23,000 compliance, law enforcement and security boardings….
Rick Tolman joined the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) in 2000 and serves as its executive director. He previously served as executive director of the U.S. Grains Council, a non-profit group focusing on promoting the sale and use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and other products worldwide. Other past employment was with International Harvester, the Gehl Company and Purdue University. He’s served on the boards of various industry groups, including a stint as chairman of the Midwest Area River Coalition, which recently merged with Waterways Council Inc. He was recognized as the 2008 Agribusiness Leader of the Year by the National Agri-Marketing Association. Tolman and his wife Linda have five children and reside in St. Louis. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and holds a masters degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University.
The NCGA is headquartered in suburban St. Louis, Mo., and represents 35,000 dues-paying members and more than 300,000 farmers who contribute through corn check-off programs in their respective states. It also maintains an office in Washington, D.C.
WJ: Please share a bit about NCGA, its membership, governance, annual budget, and staff. How is NCGA funded?
Tolman: NCGA is a direct membership association and also a federation of state associations. Through our direct membership we have approximately 35,000 dues-paying members and through our 48 affiliated state corn associations and checkoff boards, we represent about 300,000 corn producers.
We are grassroots-driven. We have two annual “Corn Congresses” a year where 127 voting delegates—selected by our state associations—meet to set our policy. They elect a Corn Board, which is the key governing entity. There are 15 members of the Corn Board and the Corn Board elects officers from the Corn Board. We have a president, a first vice president and a chairman. I am hired by the Corn Board and I hire the staff.
Our annual budget is in the range of $8 million per year. Most of our revenue comes from our state affiliates and membership dues. We also have revenues from meeting and event income, grants and other sources….
Campbell Transportation Company held a christening ceremony May 28 for a boat it renamed the Mark S in honor of Mark Schroeder, its vice president of finance and administration.
Previously named the R.G. Mayes, the twin-screw towboat measures 150 by 35 feet and is powered by GM 16-645E5 diesels with a total of 3,600 hp. that the company upgraded at its shipyard in Dunlevy, Pa. Workers also redid the galley, installing new appliances and cabinets. They put down new flooring throughout the boat, pressure washed it and completely repainted it.
The Mark S. was built by Nashville Bridge Company in 1960 as the Jayne Hougland for Hougland Barge Line. Campbell bought it in 1995….
The Waterways Journal encourages letters to the editor.
Have something on your mind?
Send letters to: jshoulberg@waterwaysjournal.net.
(Please indicate whether or not your letter is intended for publication.)
