Winter limnology on the Great Lakes: The role of the U.S. Coast Guard

2011 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 207-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Michael L. McKay ◽  
Benjamin F.N. Beall ◽  
George S. Bullerjahn ◽  
LCDR William C. Woityra
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Winter Limnology ◽  
The U.S

Marpol V and Cargo Residues in the Great Lakes

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (03) ◽  
pp. 179-185
Author(s):  
Eric Reeves ◽  
Laurie Perry
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Special Problem ◽  
The United States ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Regulatory Regime ◽  
Enforcement Policy ◽  
Bulk Carriers ◽  
The U.S

In 1989 the U.S. Coast Guard promulgated regulations implementing Annex V to Marpol 73/78, which regulates the discharge of "garbage" from ships. Since that time it has become apparent that Marpol V, an international regime designed for the high seas, does not translate into a workable regime for the Great Lakes without some modification for the special problem of cargo residue discharges from dry bulk carriers. Application of Marpol V to the Great Lakes by the United States has also created an anomaly, because Canada has yet to do so, in large part because of serious concerns about its application to cargo residues on the Great Lakes. On September 22, 1993 the U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District put out an interim enforcement policy designed to provide a reasonable balance between the need to protect the environment of the lakes against any possible harm while taking account of the need for safe operation of commercial dry bulk carriers. At the same time, in cooperation with the Canadian Coast Guard Central Region and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District is developing better scientific information about the possible effects of cargo residues in order to build a scientific basis for a revised regulatory regime. As the scientific study progresses, the Ninth Coast Guard District continues to make modifications to the current enforcement policy, in consultation with Canadian Coast Guard Central Region, the scientific community, industry, and environmental groups. The final goal is a reasonably balanced and consistent regime on both sides of the lakes, in accordance with the mandates of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

Air Cushion Vehicles and Surface Effect Ships for Great Lakes and Great Rivers Transportation

1990 ◽  
Vol 27 (06) ◽  
pp. 337-355
Author(s):  
John L. Allison
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Surface Effect ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Short Paper ◽  
Surface Effect Ship ◽  
Present Design ◽  
Air Cushion ◽  
Hull Forms ◽  
The U.S

A brief introduction to air cushion vehicle (ACV) and surface effect ship (SES) technology is presented, with past and present examples, to show that this technology may now be considered mature. Applicability of ACVs and SESs to transportation on the Great Lakes and rivers of Canada and the U.S. is discussed, with some emphasis on year-round service in the regions affected by ice. An indication of present design capabilities is provided with some examples of application to typical sets of requirements. Future developments are outlined in the light of the rapid expansion of air-supported ferry operation in other parts of the world, and military and Coast Guard applications in the U.S. and Canada. Some data on acquisition and operating costs are presented in comparison with those for other hull forms, with information on the type of technical and port support required for ACV and SES operation. Numerous references are provided to enable the reader to pursue the topics discussed in greater detail than is possible in a short paper.

U.S. APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTING IMO GUIDELINES ON PLACES OF REFUGE1

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 305-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Albertson
Keyword(s):  
Coast Guard ◽  
Maritime History ◽  
Real Thing ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Response System ◽  
National Response ◽  
Safety Committees ◽  
Oil Tanker ◽  
The U.S

ABSTRACT When the oil tanker Prestige broke apart and sank off the coast of Spain in November 2002, it joined an infamous line of environmental catastrophes in maritime history. The way in which the Prestige incident unfolded and, in particular, the denial of a place of refuge for the tanker intensified existing pressures on the IMO to finalize and adopt guidelines intended to assist all concerned parties in dealing with similar circumstances. At the 23rd Assembly, the IMO answered by adopting two resolutions on the issue. These resolutions offer excellent planning, preparedness, and response guidelines and a framework for effectively dealing with the next Prestige. The IMO guidelines are compatible with the U.S. National Response System and existing laws designed to protect the environment, public health, and welfare. As such, their implementation requires neither regulation nor significant adjustments to U.S. policy. With few exceptions, the National Response System should assimilate the IMO guidelines. Specifically, Area Committees and Harbor Safety Committees should plow the IMO guidelines into current planning, preparedness, and response activities in order to ensure effective response to places of refuge scenarios. The most critical and urgent issue is to ensure the decisionmaking criteria and process for both allowing and taking a ship in need of assistance to a place of refuge is well developed, agreed upon, and exercised beforehand, so that when the real thing occurs those who need to make the decision know exactly what to do and who to contact. This paper discusses relevant aspects of the National Response System and authorities as they pertain to the IMO guidelines and the role of the U.S. Coast Guard as the federal agency charged with their implementation.

RESPONSE TO A SPILL OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE1

1993 ◽  
Vol 1993 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald S. Jensen ◽  
Robert Pond ◽  
Mark H. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Task Force ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Local Response ◽  
National Response ◽  
Response Organization ◽  
Unified Command ◽  
National Significance ◽  
The U.S

ABSTRACT Responding to a spill of national significance (SONS), such as the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill, requires an augmenting organization to support the local response organization. The U.S. Coast Guard has developed a SONS protocol to be better prepared to respond to these infrequent catastrophic spills. A flag-level Coast Guard officer assumes the role of national incident commander (NIC) and federal on-scene coordinator (OSC), and is supported by a national incident task force (NITF). The major role of the NITF is to develop a national response strategy, acquire response resources and allocate them efficiently, and effectively deal with many peripheral national issues. Unified command concepts have been incorporated into the NITF and its primary organizational elements. In addition, frequent training and exercising is essential to keep the SONS protocol's preparedness at an acceptable level.

AN INTEGRATED PROGRAM FOR SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENT MAPPING

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Pavia ◽  
Jacqueline Michel ◽  
Jill Petersen ◽  
Lt. Stacy Birk-Risheim
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Terrestrial Habitats ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Environment Maps ◽  
Cooperative Project ◽  
Pipeline Safety ◽  
Integrated Program ◽  
The U.S

ABSTRACT The objective of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) national sensitive environment mapping program is to publish a comprehensive series of standard maps and databases for coastal areas that provide the basis for sensitive environment plans. Sensitive environment maps have been an integral component of oil spill contingency planning and response since 1979, when the first maps were prepared in advance of oil arriving from the Ixtoc I well blowout. Since then, NOAA has undertaken a nationwide sensitive environment mapping effort that covers most U.S. coastlines, including Alaska, Hawaii, and the Great Lakes. As part of cooperative efforts with federal agencies, states, and industry, NOAA is now undertaking a program to achieve three goals: map new areas and update existing maps, provide means for broadly distributing sensitive environment data in paper and electronic forms, and extend sensitivity mapping methods to new environments. In 1994, sensitive environment maps were jointly produced with the states of Texas, California, and Alaska. The Great Lakes materials were completed as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Coast Guard and Environment Canada. With cooperation from the Marine Spill Response Corporation, NOAA is embarking on a program to format sensitive environment maps for computer-based information systems that help implement requirements of the 1990 Oil Pollution Act (OPA 90). NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of Pipeline Safety are cooperating to extend sensitive environment mapping approaches to inland waters and terrestrial habitats.

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