Weekly News Summary For October 23-29, 2006:
Corps Sets Meetings For Upper Ohio Navigation Study
The Pittsburgh District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold two public meetings in upper Ohio River communities to hear public comments on the environmental scope of its Upper Ohio Navigation Study, Pennsylvania.
The project is a planning study to consider and evaluate the feasibility of navigation improvements and ecosystem restoration opportunities on the upper Ohio River. The study will focus on the three Ohio River locks and dams in Pennsylvania—Emsworth, Dashields and Montgomery—and their navigation pools extending downstream from the “Point” in Pittsburgh approximately 54 miles to include the pool of the New Cumberland Locks and Dam in Ohio and West Virginia.
The Upper Ohio Navigation Study will investigate opportunities for maintaining and improving commercial navigation on the upper Ohio River in Pennsylvania and will evaluate the potential for integrating ecosystem restoration features into long-range plans for this river reach. The study will consider engineering, economic and environmental factors to evaluate long-term navigation needs in the context of sustaining human communities and the river’s ecosystem.
Findings and recommendations from the recently released draft Ohio River Mainstem Systems Study will provide substantial background information from a systemwide perspective to this site-specific navigation feasibility study….
The Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit for the Meade County (Ky.) Riverport Authority to construct a barge transloading facility on the left bank of the Ohio River at Mile 645 near Brandenburg, Ky. The port facility will consist of 50 acres.
Construction of the port facility will be integral in the continued development of the industrial park area, the authority said in an announcement. Completion of final engineering and design of the port facility and final development of the access road will be the next steps in implementing the project.
The port facility is overseen by the Meade County Riverport Authority. The authority consists of six board members and serves as the governing body of the port, conducting all business relevant to the development, operation and maintenance of the project. The authority has partnered with Consolidated Grain & Barge as the stevedore for the overall project.
“Issuance of the Corps permit is an important next step for development of the port in Meade County,” stated Don Bewley, chairman of the Meade County Riverport Authority.
The authority has received several grants and funding appropriations for development of the overall project. Issuance of the permit was the last step in enabling funding sources to be utilized in final engineering and design and final development of the access road….
A new environmentally friendly dredge was christened the Waymon Boyd September 29 in Port Lavaca, Texas.
The ceremony was a tribute to the employees of King Fisher Marine Service who built the vessel in just six months, as well as to the namesake Waymon Boyd, an employee and leader of King Fisher Marine since 1956.
King Fisher Marine has a rich history, deeply rooted in Port Lavaca and Calhoun County, Texas. In 1940, King Fisher and his wife Jewel started the company with just two full-time employees. Together with their daughters and son-in laws, one of which is Waymon Boyd, the firm grew tremendously, now employing more than 300 people.
In 1998 Orion Marine Group bought King Fisher Marine. According to Russell Inserra, chief executive officer of Orion Marine Group, he was wary of the prospect of buying a dredging company, but after speaking with Boyd the decision was an easy one. King Fisher Marine continues to operate like a family business with strong roots in the community. It is the only dredging division of Orion Marine Group, which has become a major player in marine construction.
The christening attracted people from all over the United States. Attendees included Corps personnel, customers, vendors, residents of Calhoun County, friends and family….
American Commercial Lines Inc. (ACL) announced the dedication of a new enclosed manufacturing facility at its Jeffboat shipyard in Jeffersonville, Ind, October 16. Associates of Jeffboat and ACL participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the new facility. The new building covers the assembly line that is currently producing dry cargo barges.
“This new facility will allow our people to complete all of the finish-welding, testing and painting of a barge indoors, regardless of weather conditions,” said Rick Schoenian, Jeffboat vice president….
By a 4–1 margin, Louisiana voters approved state constitutional amendments to devote revenues to hurricane protection and coastal restoration, including all new oil and gas royalties from the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) drilling.
“Just one year ago, we suffered the most devastating and costly natural disaster in the history of this great country,” said Norman C. Francis, chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. “A faulty levee system compounded by an eroding coastline resulted in utter destruction and loss of life, the likes of which our nation had never seen.”
“Today, we took the first step toward restoring our vanishing wetlands and protecting the state from hurricanes to come,” he said. “Sadly, it won’t be a matter of if another storm strikes, but when. Louisiana voters acknowledged this undeniable truth and demonstrated their commitment to safety and prevention from future storms.”…
Global Power Holding Company, a Gulf Coast high-speed diesel engine service provider located in Houma, La., officially changed its name to Marine Systems Inc. on September 30, completing the acquisition that was announced in June.
Global, through its subsidiaries United Diesel, Unitech Diesel and Brady Diesel, was a full-service marine dealer for Cummins, Detroit Diesel and John Deere high-speed diesel engines, as well as an authorized marine dealer for Caterpillar in Louisiana. Its purchase by Marine Systems, an authorized service center for EMD engines also based in Houma, creates a company with the capability to service both high-speed and medium-speed marine diesels in the Gulf Coast region.
The acquisition complements the ability of the Marine Systems operation in Paducah, Ky., which is an authorized service center for EMD as well as a full-service marine dealer for Cummins, Detroit Diesel and John Deere high-speed diesel engines, as well as an authorized marine dealer for Caterpillar in Kentucky….
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