Weekly News Summary For September 19–25, 2005:
The destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast can send a wake-up call to the nation that the work of the Corps of Engineers is important, U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-Mo.) told an appreciative audience last week at the annual meeting of the Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC 2000).
Prior to the hurricane, "if we had proposed a flood control project that would have protected New Orleans from a Category 5 hurricane, I guarantee you it would have been called unjustifiable pork, enormously expensive, unaffordable, and even a boondoggle, which is typically the response we get when we push the Corps of Engineers to do its vital work," Bond said. "Today, a project of that magnitude would clearly be seen as a bargain, not only in terms of dollars, but more importantly in terms of lives."
He noted that the work of the Flood Control Act—passed in response to the disastrous flood of 1927—is still not finished. "We’re still trying to build—and fund—what’s needed," he said.
But there’s no doubt that the work done so far has been successful, he said. In the 1993 Upper Midwest flood, for example, Corps levees were credited with preventing $19 billion in property damage. Since 1928, the nationwide figure tops $800 billion, he said….
Marine traffic in the Port of Pittsburgh increased by 21 percent in the first six months of 2005 compared with the same period last year, the Port of Pittsburgh Commission reported last week.
The total number of barges that moved through locks within the port area increased from 77,846 last year to 89,826 this year. The increase amounts to nearly 2,000 additional barges per month, bringing the total number of barges in the port’s lock system to almost 15,000 per month.
Activity at several key locks also showed increases in the first six months of 2005 compared with 2004. Activity at the Montgomery Lock on the Ohio River increased by 1.4 million tons to more than 11 million tons; Lock 2 on the Monongahela increased by more than 1.9 million tons to 9.6 million tons; and Lock 4 traffic increased by 2 million tons to 5.9 million tons….
The Port of Houston put a dredging project on fast track and will now accommodate 45-foot-draft vessels.
Pilots have been steering around an "obstructive hump" in the channel that was scheduled to be removed by dredging. The project was on the back burner until Hurricane Katrina forced cargoes to be diverted from damaged Gulf ports to Houston.
The Coast Guard has been restricting deep-draft vessels in the Mississippi River to 35-foot drafts in daylight hours only.
"Because of the incident with Katrina and lots of calls for diverted cargo with deep-water vessels, the Corps of Engineers, the port and the Houston Pilots got together and got procedures to expedite the dredging," Argentina M. James, director of public affairs for the Port of Houston Authority (PHA), was quoted as saying.
Once removed, the Houston Pilots had planned a phased-in approach to larger vessels. That plan was accelerated to accept vessels with fresh-water drafts to 45 feet immediately.
"We extend our appreciation to the Port of Houston Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in working closely with our organization to remove an obstructive hump in the middle of the Houston Ship Channel to enable us to take this step," said Capt. Mike Morris, the Houston Pilots’ presiding officer….
Just as towboat captains navigate their vessels through the waterways, congressman steer legislation from committee to committee, so it was fitting that Blessey Marine Services Inc. christened a boat named for one of its captains and another named for an influential congressman in back-to-back ceremonies recently.
The Harahan, La.-based barge line held a christening ceremony August 15 for the mv. Capt. Billy J. Verdin. On August 16 it christened the mv. James L. Oberstar. Both events were held at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans.
The highlight of the christenings was the appearance of Rep. Oberstar, who as the senior Democrat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee serves as an ex officio member of the subcommittees on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation and Water Resources and Environment. He is now in his 16th term, the longest service in the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Minnesota.
"The mv. James L. Oberstar carries the name of a real friend of the waterways industry and a leader in sound transportation policy," Walter Blessey Jr., president, told the large crowd that gathered for the ceremony. "He has worked tirelessly to improve the safety and efficiency of our nation’s roads, rails, air and waterways, and is deeply committed to the safety of our industry’s crewmembers, our vessels and our operations.
"Those of you who know Rep. Oberstar know that I’m not exaggerating when I say he is unique, probably unparalleled, from the standpoint of his appreciation of the value our industry provides to the nation. That kind of understanding and support from a leader in national transportation policy creates an environment that enables our industry to meet our environmental and safety goals…."
The Seamen’s Church Institute of New York & New Jersey (SCI) is helping inland and deep-sea mariners affected by Hurricane Katrina today and through the months ahead as they rebuild their lives.
Affected Katrina mariners should call 800, 708-1998 and ask for Ann Mills, Coordinator of Special Projects for Ministry on the River, (amills@seamenschurch.org) working from SCI’s Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, Ky.
SCI chaplains in the Gulf Region and the Port of New York & New Jersey are on-site providing counseling and pastoral care, and the institute is making grants and interest-free loans through its Mariners’ Assistance Fund.
In the early days getting money to mariners was a challenge.
"SCI was able to help a Gulf Area mariner whose entire town was wiped out—including the bank and the Post Office," said Mills. "We got the money through by contacting a nearby Wal-Mart in Alabama who was able to accept the wire transfer and give the funds to the mariner."
SCI is giving grants for such immediate needs as hotel/motel expenses, clothing, furniture, uniforms for children in new schools, gas, food, and utilities….
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