Weekly News Summary For June 22-28, 2009:
Can the enthusiasm of a powerful U.S. senator for the way the Dutch manage their water resources change the way the Army Corps of Engineers does business?
That’s the question raised in recent press conferences and hearings in which Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) criticizes the Corps’ “military” approach to building levees and praises the “holistic” Dutch model of managing water.
On June 16, Landrieu testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, chaired by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), on the need for “reform” of the Corps. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) also testified; the hearing was held at his request. Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh, Mississippi Valley Division engineer, spoke for the Corps.
Landrieu told the committee, “We need a new direction. The piecemeal approach that we have used for over the last 40 or 50 years is what I now call the ‘patch and pray’ model. This model has failed our nation…It failed South Louisiana. Our coastal communities can no longer afford the backlog, the delays, and inefficient process of overlapping and confusing federal authorization and delayed appropriations…We must find a new way to focus our efforts at the federal, state and local level so that we can construct water infrastructure in a more natural landscape that keeps communities safer and strong.”
Landrieu added that her vision extends beyond Louisiana. “We think that this is about looking for a new engineering model that will work for the whole country...I am waiting for the Corps of Engineers to get to the point where they admit that the model we have is not sufficient in any way to protect people from catastrophic flooding in this nation.”…
On June 9, three creditors of Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Company Inc. of Mobile, Ala., petitioned the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Alabama to declare Bender bankrupt under Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code. Unlike a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is involuntary.
The three creditors are Sirius Technical Services Inc., Louisiana Machinery Company LLC, and Gulfmark Offshore Inc. Birmingham lawyer Eric Breithaupt of Christian & Small LLP is acting for the three creditors. The case was assigned to Judge Margaret A. Mahoney, who announced a July 7 hearing.
Until then, Bender can operate without court supervision. The creditors have 20 days from the filing date to present Bender with documentation supporting their claims. WKRG TV in Mobile reported that Bender planned to file an objection. The company admits to ongoing contract disputes with Gulfmark and Louisiana Machinery. Gulfmark claims it is owed $44.3 million for three 245-foot oil platforms never delivered by Bender. In May, it sued Bender for that amount plus damages, the Mobile Press-Register reported….
With the Mississippi River falling to 35 feet in Baton Rouge, notice that the vessel traffic control center (VTCC) in Baton Rouge was discontinued was announced on June 13 in a Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) issued by Capt. Edwin Stanton, Commander of Sector New Orleans.
The MSIB urged industry to continue using extra care to “coordinate intentions with other vessels on VHF Channel 67 due to congestion and increased radio traffic around the Baton Rouge area.”
While the VTCC is no longer operating, the safety zone continues in effect from Mile 225 to 240 on the Lower Mississippi River, with maximum tow size limited to 36 barges with a minimum of 240 hp. per barge. Tank barges are to be placed in the interior of tows.
An assist boat is still required for tows greater than 600 feet excluding the towing vessel, when entering or exiting the Port Allen Locks. Towboats are required to have a minimum of one hp. per five tons of vessel….
Twenty-three members of Congress signed a letter with Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) to protest lockage fees proposed by the Obama administration.
“Raising taxes on the shipping industry or any industry during tough economic times will lead to more job losses and higher costs to consumers,” Scalise said in a letter released June 17. “We want to let the White House know there is bipartisan opposition to this proposed tax.”
The letter was sent to Peter Orszag, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), urging him to remove the lockage fee from the FY 2010 budget.
“We would strongly oppose any lockage tax and urge you to remove it from consideration,” the letter said….
Florida Marine Transporters held yet another five-boat christening on May 14, this time along the Mississippi River wharf in New Orleans at the Hilton Hotel.
The five boats, all part of a massive 50-boat contract with Eastern Shipbuilding Group, brings to 35 the number delivered. Each of the boats will be basically similar; making crew moves from one boat to another an easy transition. It also simplifies maintenance.
The five boats are named to honor long-time employees who helped build Florida Marine from its start in 1997 to a major player in bulk liquid transportation on the inland waterways. The boats were named Capt. Dean, Marshall Barnes, Harvey Sbisa, Capt. C.H. Guidry, and Bill Seymour.
All of the boats are rated at 2,600 hp. with two Cummins QSK 38 M engines supplied by Cummins Mid-South; Twin Disc reduction gears rated at 7.22:1 from Sewart Supply, two 99 kw. John Deere 6068 auxiliary power generators from Kennedy Engine, and Rolls Royce props with four blades measuring 84 by 75 inches….
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