ISSN1536-3910 Timely Publication of Inspection Rulemaking … · 2019. 12. 14. · inspection rule...

Stating that the towing vesselinspection rulemaking presents “ahistoric opportunity to take safetyin the tugboat, towboat, and bargeindustry to a new level,” Tom Allegretti,AWO President & CEO, testified beforethe House Coast Guard and MaritimeTransportation Subcommittee onSeptember 10 and urged theSubcommittee to exercise its oversightresponsibility and help ensure that theCoast Guard “get[s] the towing vesselinspection rule done, and done right,right away.”

Appearing at a hearing on the impact ofregulations on the maritime industry thatfeatured two panels of government andindustry witnesses, Mr. Allegrettiemphasized to lawmakers that unless theCoast Guard completes the rulemakingin a timely fashion, “the tugboat,towboat and barge industry will not beable to advance its goals of improvingsafety, security, and environmentalstewardship in a way that supports andsustains high-quality American jobs.” Heurged the Coast Guard to commit tofinalizing the towing vessel inspection

rule and sending it to DHS for reviewthis fall and to work with the departmentto ensure prompt review of therulemaking so that it can be published onthe current Commandant’s watch.

Mr. Allegretti reminded SubcommitteeMembers that nine years have passedsince Congress originally directed theCoast Guard to undertake the inspectionrulemaking, and that the statutorydeadline of October 15, 2011, is nearlytwo years overdue. “Those facts alonecreate a cause for action,” he remarked.Allegretti also emphasized that theinspection rulemaking enjoys broadsupport from industry and the public, aswell as bipartisan support in Congress.

Subcommittee Ranking Member JohnGaramendi (D-CA) characterized thetowing vessel inspection rulemaking as“stuck in a back eddy” and expressed hisfrustration that the Coast Guard has notyet published the final rule. RDMLJoseph Servidio, Assistant Commandantfor Prevention Policy for the CoastGuard, assured Subcommittee membersthat the Coast Guard was “aggressivelyadjudicating” public comments on thetowing vessel inspection notice ofproposed rulemaking and striving tostrike the balance between “a quick ruleand a good rule.”

801 North Quincy Street, Suite 200, Arlington, Virginia 22203

Phone: (703) 841-9300Fax: (703) 841-0389

www.americanwaterways.comISSN1536-3910

Timely Publication of Inspection Rulemaking Essentialto Elevate Towing Industry Safety, AWO Testifies

AWO President & CEO Tom Allegretti testifies before the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee at a September 10 hearing on maritimeregulations.

(continued on page 2)

House WRRDA Bill Introduced................3

TSAC Approves Recommendations on Towing Vessel Manning....................4

Holly Riester Joins AWO as Director - Safety & Environmental Stewardship....8

Congressional Towboat Tours Span Midwest and Ohio Valley Regions.........9

HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE

VOLUME 70, NO. 19 • SEPTEMBER 16, 2013

http://www.americanwaterways.com/index/MTR.pdf

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA),Chairman of the Coast Guard andMaritime TransportationSubcommittee, opened the hearingby stressing that maritimecommerce is essential to the U.S.economy and pledged to take stepsduring the 113th Congress toimprove the industry, a sentimentthat was strongly seconded byRep. Garamendi. Chairman Hunteracknowledged the need forregulations that address concernsrelated to safety, security, andstewardship, but noted thatregulators must also balance theimportance of maintaining the freeflow of commerce.

Other witnesses testifying beforethe subcommittee included: MarioCordero, Chairman of the FederalMaritime Commission; Paul“Chip” Jaenichen, ActingAdministrator of the MaritimeAdministration; Captain WilliamG. Schubert, USA Maritime; KenFranke, Sportfishing Associationof California; Geoffrey C. Powell,National Customs Brokers andForwarders Association ofAmerica, RADM Rick Gurnon,Massachusetts Maritime Academy;and, Patrick L. Wojahn, NationalDisability Rights Network.

For more information, pleasecontact Craig Montesano orJennifer Carpenter at (703) 841-9300, extensions 297 and 260,respectively, or via email [email protected] [email protected].

BREAKING NEWS

2 September 16, 2013

Timely Publication of Inspection Rulemaking Essentialto Elevate Towing Industry Safety, AWO Testifies(continued from page 1)

Two Decades of Progress in the Towing Industry’s Safety Journey as presented to theHouse Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.

September 16, 2013 3

LEGISLATIVE NEWS/AGENCY ACTIONS

House Transportation and Infrastructure CommitteeChairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Ranking Member NickRahall (D-WV) unveiled their much-anticipated waterinfrastructure bill on September 11. H.R. 3080, the WaterResources Reform and Development Act, would address avariety of issues critical to the maritime industry in aframework that upholds the House prohibition on earmarks.Committee markup of H.R. 3080 is scheduled forSeptember 19, with floor debate likely to occur during thefirst two weeks of October.

AWO applauds Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member Rahall,Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee ChairmanBob Gibbs (R-OH) and Ranking Member Tim Bishop (D-NY) for their bipartisan partnership in developing andintroducing the bill. H.R. 3080 represents another important

step toward realizing much-needed improvements towaterways infrastructure, which have not beencomprehensively addressed by Congress since the 2007Water Resources and Development Act.

Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall haveemphasized the bipartisan effort that went into crafting H.R.3080, an effort they hope will continue through Committeemarkup and floor debate. At rollout meetings forstakeholders, Committee staff provided an overview of themajor provisions of WRRDA, including:

• Project delivery process reforms similar to those found inRep. Ed Whitfield’s (R-KY) WAVE-4 legislation;

• A project prioritization requirement for the Corps ofEngineers to develop a 20-year inland waterwaysinfrastructure investment strategy in concert with theInland Waterways Users Board, with regular updates;

• Studies on the potential use of tax-exempt bonds andother alternative methods of funding inland waterwaysprojects;

• A 75 percent federal-25 percent Inland Waterway TrustFund cost-share for completion of the Olmsted project;

• A requirement for the Secretary of Army to submit anannual financial plan to Congress for any inlandwaterway project over $500 million;

• A requirement for a 90-day notice and public commentperiod before any change to operation of navigationlocks;

• An assessment of Atlantic Intracoastal WaterwayOperation & Maintenance needs;

• Broader deauthorization authority as well as a list ofprojects to be deauthorized;

• Closure of Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock if assessmentshows that cargo volumes were below 1.5 million tonsfor last five years; and,

• A provision facilitating non-federal contribution of fundsfor operation and management of locks.

AWO is working closely with Waterways Council, Inc., toexamine the details of the bill and will provide additionalinformation about specific provisions, outreach efforts andthe forthcoming Committee markup. For more information,please contact Craig Montesano at (703) 841-9300,extension 297, or [email protected].

House WRRDA Bill Introduced

The White House hasannounced the nomination ofretired U.S. Navy CaptainPaul “Chip” Jaenichen asMaritime Administrator.Capt. Jaenichen has beenserving as Acting MaritimeAdministrator since June 4and was initially appointedby President Obama asDeputy MaritimeAdministrator in July 2012. In his roles as Deputy andActing Administrator, Capt. Jaenichen has been avisible presence in the tugboat, towboat and bargeindustry, most recently speaking to AWO members atthe Combined Summer Meeting of the Midwest, OhioValley and Southern Regions in Louisville.

“We are very pleased with this announcement andfully support the nomination,” said Tom Allegretti,AWO’s President & CEO. “Acting AdministratorJaenichen has proven to be a thoughtful andcommitted advocate for our industry and the largermaritime industry. We will greatly enjoy working withhim in this new capacity.”

White House NominatesJaenichen as MaritimeAdministrator

AGENCY ACTIONS


The Towing Safety AdvisoryCommittee, the federal advisorycommittee that provides advice to theSecretary of Homeland Security via theU.S. Coast Guard on matters of towingvessel safety, held its semiannualmeeting in Chicago on September 4-6.At the meeting, TSAC unanimouslyapproved the recommendations of asubcommittee established to providerecommendations on manning oftowing vessels inspected under theforthcoming Subchapter M.

The manning subcommittee report,available here, reaffirmsrecommendations made by TSAC in2005, 2006 and 2011, regarding theminimum watch complement fortowing vessels; recommends that theCoast Guard amend certain regulationsthat currently apply to inspectedvessels so as not to apply to towingvessels inspected under Subchapter M;and provides a proposed new sectionof Marine Safety Manual Volume III,

Chapter 21, containing samplemanning scales for towing vesselsinspected under Subchapter M. Themanning subcommittee will reconveneto address manning of inspectedtowing vessels in international servicethis fall.

TSAC also approved a subcommitteereport on towing vessel operationalstability. The report concludes thatthere are no inherent stability problemswith towing vessels, and recommendsinstead that the Coast Guard improveits communication with industry onoperational best practices to preventcapsizings. In addition, TSACapproved subcommitteerecommendations to improveoperational, structural, and otherstandards to enhance fire preventionand containment aboard towingvessels, recommending best practicesthat operators should follow to reducefire risk. TSAC also discussed theopen task statement pertaining to

Automatic Identification Systemencoding, but the subcommittee’srecommendations on ways to ensureAIS encoding requirements do notdistract towing vessel operators werenot complete at the time of themeeting.

Lastly, the Committee approvedseveral new task statements and agreedto establish subcommittees to addressthe following topics:

• Review of the report of the CoastGuard-AWO working group onrecommendations for repair of steelhulled inspected towing vessels ininland service;

• Review of Coast Guard marinecasualty reporting requirements andrecommendations on possiblerevisions to form CG-2692 andother improvements to the casualtyreporting process;

• Recommendations for evaluatingplacement of structures adjacent toor within the navigable channel;

• Recommendations for designationof narrow channels;

• Recommendations for themaintenance, repair, and utilizationof towing equipment lines andcouplings;

• Recommendations for midstreamliquefied natural gas refueling oftowing vessels; and,

• Recommendations to establishcriteria for identification of air draftfor towing vessels and tows.

For more information, please contactBrian Vahey at (703) 841-9300,extension 251, [email protected].

TSAC Approves Recommendations on Towing Vessel ManningCommittee Also Approves Reports on Stability, Fire Prevention and Containment

In an effort to reduceregulatory confusion andalign existing regulationswith statutory definitions,the U.S. Coast Guard hasissued a final rule revisingseveral regulations to clarifythe legal definition of aseagoing barge. The finalrule clarifies that unmanned barges that do not carry hazardous material orflammable or combustible liquids in bulk are exempt from Coast Guardinspection requirements. The rule clarifies the definition of “oil in bulk” as250 barrels (10,500 gallons) or more.

For more information, please contact Kevin Dowling at (703) 841-9300,extension 264, or [email protected].

Coast Guard ClarifiesDefinition of Seagoing Barge

http://www.americanwaterways.com/index/Task13-02FinalReportPartA.pdfhttp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-08-29/pdf/2013-20351.pdf

The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee willmeet September 24-25 in Washington, D.C. to discussvarious issues relating to maritime security.NMSAC is a federal advisory committee thatprovides advice to the Secretary of HomelandSecurity via the Coast Guard on mattersrelating to national maritime security.

The Federal Register notice and full agendafor the meeting can be viewed here. Agendaitems include:

• Rulemaking on Transportation WorkerIdentification Credential card readers and next steps;

• Development of a model course for Facility SecurityOfficer training;

• Lessons learned and best practices encountered duringMaritime Security (MARSEC) Level increases due tothe Boston Marathon bombing;

• Lessons learned and best practices from HurricaneSandy recovery; and,

• The Coast Guard’s future regulatory agenda onmaritime security issues.

The NMSAC meeting will be held at the newCoast Guard Headquarters, 2703 MartinLuther King Jr. Avenue, S.E., Washington,DC 20593. Due to enhanced securityprocedures at the new facility, anyonewishing to attend should contact RyanOwens of the U.S. Coast Guard at (202) 372-1108 or [email protected] no later than

September 18.

AGENCY ACTIONS


The U.S. Coast Guard is seekingapplications for six positions on theMerchant Marine PersonnelAdvisory Committee that willbecome vacant on June 1, 2014.The Coast Guard is seeking twomarine educators from maritimetraining institutions other than state or federal maritimeacademies; one member from a company that operates ormanages vessels; one licensed Chief Engineer; onelicensed Pilot; and one Able Seaman. Applications mustbe submitted no later than November 4.

MERPAC advises the Secretary of the Department ofHomeland Security on matters relating to personnel in theU.S. merchant marine, including but not limited totraining, qualifications, certification, documentation, andfitness standards. For more information, click here, orcontact Mr. Davis Breyer of the Coast Guard at (202)372-1445 or [email protected].

National Maritime Security Advisory Committee to Meet

Last week, AWO participated in theonline dialogue for the U.S.Department of Transportationstrategic plan for Fiscal Years2014-2018, as referenced in theSeptember 3 AWO Letter. AWOexpressed appreciation for DOT’ssupport for a vital and viable U.S. maritimetransportation system, urged DOT to explicitlyreaffirm the department’s support of the Jones Actand requested that DOT amend the plan to expresssupport for the Inland Waterways CapitalDevelopment Plan.

To read AWO’s submission to the online dialogue,click here. For more information, please contactBrian Bennett at (703) 841-9300, extension 279, [email protected].

If you receive a hard copy of theAWO Letter and need to know theexact web address of the hyperlink inany article, please contact FrankLeach at (703) 841-9300, extension 254, or [email protected].

Got Links?

AWO Submits Comments toDOT’s Strategic Plan Dialogue

MERPAC Members Sought

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-09/pdf/2013-21923.pdfhttp://dotstrategicplan.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Reaffirm-the-Jones-Act-and-Modernize-Waterways-Infrastructure/449136-25170http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-03/pdf/2013-21291.pdf


IN THE NEWS

AWO/WCI Praise WRRDA Introduction On September 13, AWOand WCI issued a jointpress statement praisingHouse introduction of theWater Resources ReformDevelopment Act andurging inclusion of

language addressing anindustry-supported

increased user fee into theInland Waterways TrustFund in the bill’s final

passage.

WATERWAYS COUNCIL, INC. /AMERICAN WATERWAYSOPERATORS WELCOME PROCESS TO REAUTHORIZE WRDA

Urge Inclusion of WAVE 4 Bill Elements in Final Passage

ARLINGTON, VA – Today the Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) and The American WaterwaysOperators (AWO) expressed their support of the bipartisan process to move a long overdueWater Resources Development Act (WRDA). House efforts, led by House Transportation &Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), along with Ranking MemberRep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), as well as Water Resources and Environment Committee ChairmanBob Gibbs (R-OH) and Ranking Member Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY), culminated in this week’sintroduction of H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform Development Act (WRRDA).

WCI and AWO are urging the inclusion of provisions in H.R. 1149, the WAVE 4 Act, in afinal House WRRDA bill, including language addressing an industry-supported increased userfee into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund as a way to responsibly reinvest in the criticallyimportant component of the U.S. transportation supply chain. With 30 bi-partisan co-sponsors, WAVE 4 was authored by Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and CongressmanDaniel Lipinski (D-IL) and contains elements to modernize inland waterways lock and daminfrastructure.

Fifty-seven percent of the locks and dams on the nation’s inland waterways system haveexceeded their economic design life expectancy, and funding for needed maintenance andmodernization has been flat or decreasing over the years. Inland waterways operators, alongwith stakeholders from the agriculture, labor, business and manufacturing sectors, depend upon areliable and efficient waterways system to transport their goods to domestic and internationalmarketplaces in the most cost-competitive, fuel-efficient, environmentally sound way.

“Bipartisan WRRDA legislation is vitally needed for the economic well-being of our nation.We have waited six long years for the opportunity to address reforms necessary to achievemodernization of our inland waterways transportation system. But a critical part of ourreform package is an increased user fee that is strongly supported by operators andstakeholder users of the system,” said Michael Toohey, WCI President/CEO.

“The country needs a robust and vital water transportation system to move commerce safelyand efficiently and keep pace with future demand. We applaud the bipartisan leadership of theHouse Transportation Committee for this important step forward and look forward to workingwith them and with the House Ways and Means Committee to ensure that the final legislationcontains all of the elements needed to safeguard the future of this vital component of ournation’s transportation infrastructure,” said Tom Allegretti, AWO’s President & CEO.

WCI and AWO applauded the bipartisan passage in the Senate in May of its WRDA bill,H.R. 601.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 13, 2013

PRESS CONTACTSDebra Colbert, WCI, 703-373-2278Ann McCulloch, AWO, 703-373-2252

The American Waterways Operators


ASSOCIATION NEWS

With the SCI Mountain Challenge only days away, TeamAWO is making a final appeal for your support of its effortsto conquer the mountain and secure a spot as the topfundraising team. We have raised over $13,000 to date andare currently in second place, but astrong showing of support from industrymembers, both companies andindividuals, will help AWO finish strongand raise funds that will help SCI furtherits important missions to mariners.

Time is running short. Please make yourcontribution today, joining the many industry colleagueswho have supported the effort so far. We are very gratefulfor the generous donations that we have received and thepositive words of encouragement that have been shared withour team. Team AWO is ready – will you join us?

Team AWO Heads to Maine This Week

Two Easy Ways to Donate!Contributions of any size from companies andindividuals will be most appreciated as AWO works tomeet its ambitious fundraising goal. Corporate donationsare permissible and fully tax-deductible and we encouragemember companies to choose between three giving levels:Platinum ($5,000), Gold ($2,500) or Silver ($1,000).

To donate on-line using a credit card, please visit TeamAWO’s fundraising page by clicking here.

To donate via mail, please send a check made payable toThe Seamen’s Church Institute of New York and NewJersey to AWO, Attention: Carmina Smith, 801 NorthQuincy Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22203.

Bill Barr, Amherst Madison, Inc.Joseph Jacobs, Bren TransportationCorp.Kent Pehler, Brennan Marine, Inc.Charles King, Buffalo Marine Service, Inc.Frank Banta, Chem Carriers LLCTom Crowley, Crowley MaritimeCorporationZ. David DeLoach, DeLoach Marine ServiceRhonda Echols, Echo Marine, Ltd.Paul Cyr, Edoc Systems GroupSteve Scalzo, Foss Maritime CompanyChuck Glenn, Glenmar, Inc.Linda Marra, Greater NY MarineTransportation LLCCathy Hammond, Inland

Marine ServiceGeorge Foster, JB Marine Service, Inc.Mark Ruge, K&L GatesRoger Harris, Magnolia MarineTransport CompanyDavid Toepfer, Matthews Brothers, Inc.Buckley McAllister, McAllister TowingJeff Nightingale, Mississippi Marine CorporationFrances Kuehne, Progressive Barge Lines, Inc.Jo Ann Salyers, Salyers SolutionsBrian Haymon, SGS PetroleumJay Scuito, Tate & TryonRachel Smith, TradeWinds Towing LLCSarah Wood, Wood Resources, LLC

Cristina AllegrettiElena AllegrettiJoanna AllegrettiGeorge ClarkCherrie FelderJohn HarmsRobert and Linda HughesMary McCarthyAnn McCullochCharie and Kathy NalenDan NuttFred Nyhuis Richard PaineDale SausePaul Tregurtha

Team AWO Warmly Thanks Our Sponsors and Contributors!

Have You Made your SCI Mountain Challenge Donation?

Join over 150 members in MiamiBeach, Florida, for a few days ofcompelling meetings, outstandingnetworking opportunities, and a veryimportant meeting of the Board ofDirectors. Attendance is free andopen for all members. Click here to

register. Hotel space at our host hotelis full. Members still needing hotelrooms may contact Sarah Young at(703) 841-9300, extension 291, [email protected]. We lookforward to seeing everyone in Miami!

Don’t Miss AWO's Fall Convention!October 16 - 18 2013 AWO Fall Convention & Board MeetingThe Ritz-Carlton, South BeachMiami, Florida

http://scimountainchallenge.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1061012&supid=316665985http://awo.networkats.com/members_online/members/login.asp?action=start&af=&tp=registration/register.asp&param=mt=13FALLCO%26af=AWO


ASSOCIATION NEWS

AWO is pleased to announce theaddition of Holly Riester as theassociation’s new Director – Safety &Environmental Stewardship. Ms.Riester recently travelled to theCombined Summer Meeting of theMidwest, Ohio Valley and SouthernRegions in Louisville to meet withAWO members and officially beganher new duties on August 30. Beforejoining AWO, Ms. Riester worked as aSenior Associate for Virginia-basedEnDyna, Inc., where she providedmanagement for several programs withthe Environmental Protection Agencyand the Department of Transportation.Ms. Riester also served as an

Environmental Policy Analyst withVersar, Inc., providing services forEPA as well as the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers. Additionally, Ms. Riesterserved as Program Manager with theSolar Electric Power Association.

“Holly’s portfolio of work as well asher considerable skills and expertisemake her a very valuable addition tothe AWO staff,” said Tom Allegretti,AWO’s President & CEO. “With herleadership and continued involvementfrom AWO members, our long-standing safety programs will growand flourish. We are very excited tohave Holly as part of the AWO team.”

Ms. Riester may be reached at (703)841-9300, extension 253, [email protected].

Holly Riester Joins AWO as Director -Safety & Environmental Stewardship

On September 6, AWO and theAmerican Chemistry Council renewedthe Memorandum of Agreement thatstreamlines dual certification forcompanies in AWO’s ResponsibleCarrier Program and ACC’sResponsible Care initiative.Continuation of the agreement betweenAWO and ACC allows RCP-certifiedcompanies who transport chemicals viabarge to obtain dual certification in thechemical industry’s well known safetyand environmental quality initiative,saving time and money whilepromoting safety by combining tworespected and proven performanceimprovement programs. The renewalwill last for another three years andchanges to its language reflect AWO’stransition to third-party certificationand training for RCP auditors.

The organizations first signed theMOA in 2006 after two years ofdiscussions. The agreement allows

companies that participate both in theRCP and the Responsible Careprogram to achieve dual certificationwith one audit by completing a specialaddendum. RCP-certified auditorshave received additional training inadministering the Responsible Careportion of an audit if the company theyare auditing is seeking dualcertification. ACC’s Dave Gleasonconducted a training workshop forjoint RCP-Responsible Care auditorsduring the RCP auditor recertificationtraining session led by the TowingVessel Inspection Bureau in Houstonin August.

ACC’s Responsible Care program is aglobal chemical industry performanceinitiative verified through independentauditors that helps chemical companiesexceed regulatory requirements andtrack performance through establishedenvironment, health, safety andsecurity measures. Participation inResponsible Care is mandatory forACC member companies. For moreinformation, please contact HollyRiester at (703) 841-9300, extension253, or [email protected].

AWO Renews Joint Audit Agreementwith American Chemistry Council

Ms. Holly Riester


REGIONAL REPORTS

Memphis Towboat Tour

Midcontinent Office

Congressional Towboat Tours SpanMidwest and Ohio Valley RegionsAWO Members Continue Focus on WRDA, Vessel Discharges, and the Jones ActDuring the weeks of August 26 andSeptember 2, AWO members held fourtowboat tours in Memphis, Chicago, St.Paul, and Pittsburgh, hosting a total of26 congressional staff from seven states.

• On August 29, MarquetteTransportation Company, Inc.,Wepfer Marine, Inc., and EconomyBoat Store hosted a towboat tour inMemphis on the Lower MississippiRiver. Ten congressional staffmembers representing offices fromArkansas, Tennessee and Mississippitook a 30 minute ride to the riveronboard the m/v Rickie Robinson,followed by a tour of river onboardthe m/v Bootsie B. The tourconcluded with a ride back to shoreon the crewboat Memphis, anEconomy Boat crewing vessel. AWOmember companies joining the tourincluded Marquette TransportationCompany, Inc.; Wepfer Marine, Inc.;

Economy Boat Store; MagnoliaMarine Transport Company; andGolding Barge Line, Inc.

• On August 30, Illinois MarineTowing, Inc. and Hanson MaterialService sponsored a tour of theChicago Sanitary and Ship Canalonboard the m/v William C. Fourcongressional staffers, representing

offices from Illinois and Wisconsin,were in attendance.

• On September 4, Lee Nelson andMolly Isnardi, Upper RiverServices, welcomed staffers fromnine congressional officesrepresenting Wisconsin andMinnesota onboard the m/v White

Chicago Towboat Tour

(continued on page 10)


REGIONAL REPORTS

Midcontinent Office

Congressional Towboat Tours SpanMidwest and Ohio Valley Regions

Rock for a towboat tour along theUpper Mississippi River.

• On September 6, CONSOL EnergySales Company and CampbellTransportation Company, Inc.welcomed staffers from the officesof Sens. Patrick Toomey (R-PA) andBob Casey (D-PA) onboard the m/vTom Hoffman for a towboat touralong the Monongahela River.

All four congressional towboat toursfeatured lively discussions on theissues facing the barge and towingindustry. Since several of the stafferswere not familiar with watertransportation, it was also anopportunity to discuss the industry’simpact on jobs, the state of ournation’s transportation infrastructure,the cost-effectiveness of waterwaytransportation, and the industry’s

environmental benefits. The finalcongressional towboat tour for 2013 inthe Midwest and Ohio Valley Regionswill be held on September 19 in

Cincinnati. For more information,please contact Lynn Muench at (314) 446-6474 [email protected].

(continued from page 9)

Upper Mississippi River Towboat Tour

Pittsburgh Towboat Tour


REGIONAL REPORTS

TOP: Chicago tour attendees aboard the m/v William C.BOTTOM RIGHT: The m/v Bootsie B. hosted a congressionalstaff member tour in Memphis on the Lower Mississippi River.BOTTOM LEFT: Mike Quinton, Golding Barge Line, Inc.;Bootsie Ackerman, Office of Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) andWalt Starr, Office of Rep. Alan Nunnelee (R-MS) discussissues facing the industry.

Midcontinent Office

Congressional Towboat Tour Highlights

REGIONAL REPORTS

Midcontinent Office

On September 6, the Corps announcedthe dates and locations of its fall publicmeetings to discuss the 2013-2014Draft Annual Operating Plan for theMissouri River Mainstem ReservoirSystem, although the draft AOP has yetto be released. The AOP is updatedyearly to present the Corps’ plans forthe regulation of the reservoir systemand is designed to meet the objectives

of the Missouri River Master Manual.

The public meetings, listed in the boxbelow right, will include a presentationfrom the Corps regarding 2013operations and plans for regulating thereservoir system in 2014, followed bya question-and-answer session. Thehearings will provide an opportunityfor AWO members to describe how theoperation of the Missouri River

reservoirs impacts their businessdecisions on the Mississippi, Illinois,and Ohio rivers.

The Corps has announced that it willprovide a full eight-month navigationseason this year, and flow support fornavigation has increased from aminimum to an intermediate servicelevel since July. However, reservoirwater levels remain well below normaldue to persistent drought conditions,and the Corps will implement droughtconservation measures again thiswinter with minimum releases fromDecember to February.

For more information, please contactLynn Muench at (314) 474-6474 [email protected], orCaitlyn Stewart at (703) 841-9300,extension 262, [email protected].

Public Meeting ScheduleTuesday, October 8Kansas City, Missouri, 1:00 p.m.National Archives Building400 W. Pershing Road

Nebraska City, Nebraska, 7:00 p.m.Lewis and Clark Center100 Valmont Drive

Wednesday, October 9Fort Peck, Montana, 7 p.m.Fort Peck Interpretive CenterLower Yellowstone Road

Thursday, October 10Bismarck, North Dakota, 11:00 a.m.North Dakota Game and Fish100 N. Bismarck Expressway

Pierre, South Dakota, 5:00 p.m.Joe Foss Building523 East Capitol Avenue

Corps Announces Meetings to Discuss Draft 2013-2014 Missouri River Annual Operating Plan

www.americanwaterways.com

THE AMERICAN WATERWAYS OPERATORSAmerica’s Tugboat, Towboat & Barge Industry

“Our Compass Always Points to Safety”

America’s tugboat, towboat and barge industry:

Provides good paying, family-wage jobs for Americans, jobs that cannot be outsourced

Offers excellent career opportunities for hard-working Americans

Fosters hundreds of thousands of American jobs that depend on waterways transportation, and directly employs over 30,000 Americans on our vessels

Contributes to America’s economic, national and homeland security because our vessels are American- owned, American-built and American-crewed

For American Jobs.

Beautiful. . .are

Barges



REGIONAL REPORTS

Midcontinent Office

Corps Moves Forward with Missouri River Recovery ProgramOn September 10, the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers announced that itwill host two scoping webinars tosolicit comments on theMissouri RiverRecovery ManagementPlan and EnvironmentalImpact Statement. Thefirst webinar occurredon September 11, andthe second will takeplace on September 18from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. CDT.

The Management Plan andEnvironmental Impact Statement arecomponents of the Missouri RiverRecovery Program, which aims toprovide habitat for native fish andwildlife by combining the

implementation of the Missouri RiverBiological Opinion developed by theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2003

and the MitigationProject under which theCorps has acquired landfor habitat along theriver. The ManagementPlan and EIS will assessand develop a range ofalternatives for theRecovery Program, as

well as provide an evaluation of thenecessity and effectiveness of actionsprescribed by the Biological Opinion.

Because Missouri River recoveryefforts have the potential to underminethe amount and predictability ofMissouri and mid-Mississippi River

flows, AWO has worked with the Corpsand other stakeholders, includingthrough its participation in the MissouriRiver Recovery ImplementationCommittee, to minimize adverseimpacts to navigation.

All comments the Corps receivesduring the webinar will become part ofthe public record. Comments will alsobe accepted online through October 18.To read the Corps’ press releaseexplaining how to participate in theSeptember 18 webinar, click here. Formore information, please contact LynnMuench at (314) 446-6474 [email protected], orCaitlyn Stewart at (703) 841-9300,extension 262, [email protected].

Southern Region

AWO Addresses Mississippi River CommissionOn August 23, AWO presentedremarks to the Mississippi RiverCommission in Morgan City, LA,about challenges facing the tugboat,towboat and barge industry. LynnMuench, AWO Senior Vice President –Regional Advocacy, encouraged theMRC to endorse managing MissouriRiver flows for the benefit of the entireriver system; asked the Commission tocarefully consider the outcomes of theGreat Lakes and Mississippi RiverInterbasin Study to ensure thatnavigation is not harmed by efforts tocontrol invasive species; emphasizedthe need for reliable 24/7 lockoperations throughout the system; andshared industry’s concern that the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers continues topass costs onto one stakeholder group,

the barge and towing industry, asreflected in a recent directive from theSt. Louis District that the industrymust utilize and pay forhelper boat use at Lock 27during certain conditions.

AWO also expressedthanks to MG JohnPeabody, MRC President,for his work with industryand the River IndustryExecutive Task Force during histenure as Mississippi Valley DivisionCommander and previously as theGreat Lakes and Ohio River DivisionCommander.

AWO’s written comments to the MRCcan be found here. The MRC is acongressionally-authorized advisory

body charged with helping Congressand the Administration improve the

condition of the MississippiRiver, foster navigation,promote commerce, andprevent floods. Itsmembership includes U.S.Army Corps of Engineersofficers as well as civilianengineers and a

representative from theNational Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration. For moreinformation, please contact LynnMuench at (314) 446-6474 [email protected] or MarkWright at (985) 674-3600 [email protected].

http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Media/NewsReleases/tabid/1835/Article/18141/corps-to-host-public-scoping-webinars-for-the-missouri-river-recovery-managemen.aspxhttp://www.americanwaterways.com/index/LWT0813.pdf


REGIONAL REPORTS

Atlantic Region

On September 11, the AtlanticRegional Quality Steering Committeeheld its summer meeting inPortsmouth, VA. The RQSC is part ofthe U.S. Coast Guard-AWO SafetyPartnership, which has focused ondeveloping non-regulatory solutions tosafety, security, and environmentalissues facing the tugboat, towboat, andbarge industry for 18 years. AtlanticRQSC co-chairs John Harms, AWOAtlantic Region Manager, and CAPTDanny Leblanc, LANTAREA Chief ofPrevention, opened the meeting.

Following introductions, the RQSCdiscussed the progress of severalprevious and future Quality Action

Teams. Of note was a discussion ledby Mr. Peter Squicciarini, U.S. CoastGuard, on a proposed PortCoordination QAT that seeks tostreamlinecommunicationsbetween industry and theCoast Guard duringhurricanes, securitythreats, and otherincidents. Mr. StephenDann, Dann OceanTowing, Inc., stressedthe importance of having a well-maintained contacts database and aninstitutionalized process to facilitatecommunication, both within a localport community and across larger,

regional areas. After a heartydiscussion, Mr. Harms and CAPTLeblanc signed the Task Statement toofficially charter the Port Coordination

Quality Action Team.

Mr. Harms led adiscussion on the needfor an AlternativeEnergy Response QAT,which will allow theCoast Guard andindustry to worktogether to alleviate the

threats to navigation posed by theciting of offshore wind energy projects.CDR Wayne Clayborne, Deputy Chiefof Prevention for the First District,discussed the difficulties ofcoordinating responses to proposedoffshore alternative energy projects.CDR Clayborne recommended that thecommittee consider developing anengagement plan so that maritimesafety concerns will be addressed atthe appropriate stages in the projectdevelopment cycle. The RQSCcommitted to drafting a Quality ActionTeam that will help establish such anengagement plan.

For more information, please contactJohn Harms at (703) 841-9300,extension 292, [email protected].

Atlantic RQSC Meets in Portsmouth

John Harms, AWO Atlantic RegionManager, and CAPT Danny Leblanc,LANTAREA Chief of Prevention, signedthe Port Coordination Quality ActionTeam task statement on September 12at the Atlantic RQSC meeting inPortsmouth, VA.


REGIONAL REPORTS

Pacific Region

AWO Members Host Sen. Feinstein’s Staff in San Francisco

On September 4, Crowley Maritime Corporation, BaydeltaMaritime and AWO hosted a tugboat tour for congressionalstaffers from the office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)aboard the Crowley tug m/v Valor in San Francisco Bay.The Valor, under First Mate Spencer Laird, toured aroundAlcatraz Island, carefully maneuvered through America’sCup traffic, and passed by deep draft vessel bunkering

operations at Anchorage 9. The tour was led by Baydelta’sShawn Bennett who spoke about the importance ofmaintaining the integrity of Jones Act to Baydelta’scontinued growth.

The crew of the Valor also shared their positive experiencesin the maritime industry and discussed the high quality ofvessel work environments. Discussion also focused on theimportance of the maritime industry to California and theurgent need to reform vessel discharge laws. The groupemphasized that California is a key state in reform efforts asit is the last state to concur with the 2011 conclusion of theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s independentScience Advisory Board that no commercially availableballast water treatment systems can meet a dischargestandard more stringent than the IMO standard, which hasbeen adopted by both EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard.Coincidentally, on September 4, the California Legislatureunanimously passed SB 814, which delays theimplementation of unachievable California ballast waterdischarge standards for two years until January 2016.

For more information, please contact Charles Costanzo at(206) 257-4723 or [email protected].

San Francisco Towboat Tour

ISSN1536-3910 Timely Publication of Inspection Rulemaking … · 2019. 12. 14. · inspection rule...

Documents

Transcript of ISSN1536-3910 Timely Publication of Inspection Rulemaking … · 2019. 12. 14. · inspection rule...