September 11, 2016

This chapter assesses the overwhelming task of building up Coast Guard security operations after the 9/11 attacks. A decade and a half later, the new captain of the port, Captain Michael Day said that the current culture of vigilance combined with an even stronger “unity of purpose and effort” than that which he extolled in 2001 have created a far safer port. Today's security systems are much more integrated across agencies than they were before. These important, although somewhat intangible, differences between then and now have also been reinforced by the very tangible reality of infrastructure. The Port of New York and New Jersey has received what Day called the “enabling mechanism of fairly robust port security grants.” Not only does the Coast Guard have better tools and equipment, it also has better systems in place for addressing security issues with a multiagency approach. And now, for the first time, there is an actual maritime evacuation plan.

“Okay, I am in charge.”

This chapter recounts how, on September 13 at 8 a.m., the Coast Guard reopened the Port of New York and New Jersey, with significant restrictions in place. Commercial and vessel movements required Coast Guard approval. Vessels were subject to Coast Guard boarding and inspection. Meanwhile, large vessels were subject to further restrictions, including mandated advanced notice of arrival; provision of certified crew lists, including nationality; and other constraints. Anchorages remained closed, and commercial port traffic in general was significantly constricted under these new rules. Similar issues confronted land-based traffic as the Port Authority reopened area bridges and tunnels, as well as the bus terminal on that Thursday. Two days of bridge, tunnel, and road closures into Manhattan led to widespread disruption of commercial deliveries of all sorts. The chapter then considers the stories of the mariners who continued finding ways to offer their services after the waterborne evacuation.

“Shut it down! Shut it down!”

This chapter recounts how, in the face of the massive incident of 9/11, the shared purpose and common ties that connect mariners of all types ruled the day as the different agencies cooperated with civilian boat crews. As it turned out, the lack of a plan wound up setting the stage for creative problem solving and improvisation. Throughout that historic morning, the New York harbor community joined forces to carry out an unprecedented and remarkably successful evacuation effort. As the second attack hit, the U.S. Coast Guard shut down the Port of New York and New Jersey to commercial traffic. Other maritime forces, such as the marine fire company, were also kicked into action.

Evaluation of the Health Impacts of Rolling Back a Port Clean Trucks Program

Air pollution emissions from marine port truck activity can pose significant health risks to communities living near ports. One approach to reducing these risks is requiring the use of low-emission trucks at port facilities. This analysis evaluates the predicted air quality impacts of the recent revision (rollback) of a Clean Truck Program at the Port of New York & New Jersey. We use the best publicly available information to estimate emissions, concentrations, and health risks at a fine spatial scale across eight counties in New Jersey in 2017 and 2018, when the impacts of the revision of the Clean Truck Program will likely be greatest. We find that as a result of the revision of the program, port truck PM2.5 emissions will be higher by seven to eight fold each year, concentrations will increase by up to 1 µg/m3, and the risk of death due to exposure to a year’s emissions will increase by over 25 in a million in some areas. These effects are estimated in 2017 and 2018 but are expected to continue, gradually tapering off, for at least 15 years into the future. The magnitude of estimated effects of the revised program would be greater if this study had included a broader geographic region, a longer period of time, and a wider range of truck pollutants, exposure pathways, and health outcomes.