Weekly News Summary for December 26, 2005-January 1, 2006:
Legislation to provide relief to members of the U.S. Coast Guard and merchant mariners as recovery efforts in the Gulf coast continue was given final approval by the Senate December 16 and sent to the president for his signature. The bill, H.R. 4508, was passed by the House two days earlier.
The measure includes several provisions that are nearly identical to language that was included in H.R. 889, the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2005, which was passed by the House September 15. The House and Senate are currently in conference on that bill.
Speaking of H.R. 4508, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the bill “will allow merchant mariners and vessel owners in the Gulf Region to continue normal operations under existing merchant mariner documents, licenses and certificates of vessel inspection. The Coast Guard has done a remarkable job to restore most services in the Gulf Region despite suffering significant damage to Coast Guard facilities.”…
The Corps of Engineers is seeking public comments about its proposal to realign responsibilities for managing the Corps’ regulatory program pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act in Ohio and Kentucky.
Under the proposal, the Huntington Engineer District would be responsible for all regulatory programs in Southern Ohio and the Louisville Engineer District would be responsible for all of Eastern Kentucky.
The Corps states that the proposal is meant to help eliminate confusion by the public as to which district to submit requests to for permits. Currently, the eastern portion of Kentucky and southern portion of Ohio is split between the two districts.
The Corps states that the immediate benefits to the public, other agencies and the Corps include removing duplication of effort and increasing consistency in regulatory policy interpretation and implementation….
The Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard in conjunction with the Waterways Association of Pittsburgh Action Group will conduct joint inspections of the various fleets within the Pittsburgh Engineer District as part of Operation Fleet Sweep.
The inspections will be performed to increase the effectiveness of the Corps’ permit compliance and enforcement mission and to minimize the potential for barge breakaways. This initiative is particularly important during the approaching high water season to improve safety on the region’s rivers.
Joint inspection teams will conduct inspections throughout the three rivers in January through March 2006….
Nine crew members quickly abandoned the towboat Elly Lane December 16 as the vessel suddenly sank around 4 p.m. while tying off at a dock near Calvert City, Ky. Most were able to step off onto the dock while the captain, the last person off the stricken vessel, climbed aboard a nearby boat, according to company spokesperson, Greg Beuerman.
Beuerman said the 3,000 hp. vessel had been in a coal run from Calvert City to the (TVA) Colbert Steam Plant at Tennessee River Mile 245 and was returning light boat to the dock facilities of First Marine Corporation near Tennessee River Mile 11 to take on supplies when the incident took place. First Marine is located approximately three miles downstream from the Calvert City Coal Terminal.
He said the crew had placed a head line on the vessel and “was in the process of tying off a second line when it was noticed that the vessel was taking on water.” Initial reports in the local media indicated the boat had been tied to the dock when it was discovered to be in peril.
Beuerman said the 102- by 30-foot towboat went down in about 15 minutes. It settled parallel to the dock in about 25 feet of water with the pilothouse and part of the second deckhouse remaining above the river’s surface….
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