High Speed
Ferry Safety Task Force of Long Island Sound
The HSFSTF met
at 1600 hrs at the
Operators
Report. Doren Voeth reported that
SeaConn’s current plans call for delivery of the first three of ten 375 pax,
214 ft, 70 kn boats, for service from Black Rock & Stamford to LGA, East 34
St. and Battery Park, dates unannounced. An advanced electronic pilot house
simulator will be installed in
Dick Sise lead
an extended roundtable discussion on the kayaker problems, noting that safety
issues are not limited to high speed ferries. Eleanor Mariani stated that a
kayaker focal point has recently been added to the CT DEP Boating Advisory
Council, to focus on better safety awareness measures. Dick Sise agreed to
provide “views from the bridge” to aid in further development of kayaker safety
aids.
LIS Ferry
Coalition and Waterborne Transportation Plan. Doren Voeth reported on the recent meeting. The 280 page Waterborne Transportation Study Draft of the LISFC is
complete, along with the roughly 150 pages of addenda, and is being
reviewed by the Steering and Advisory committees after which the final report
will be published.
A talk on ACV
hovercrafts by a private operator and the ACV manufacturer
Also presented
was a single point automatic mooring/docking system which is in the development/test
phase for NY Waterways which will eliminate both docking lines at each terminal
and/or using power to hold the vessel at the dock while pax board and leave.
The Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is the lead federal agency responsible for
licensing LNG operations located on shore and within state waters. USCG is the
cooperating agency, providing input to FERC throughout the licensing process.
To date the
USCG has conducted a Ports & Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) and
participated in the FERC public meetings recently to discuss safety and
security issues. A Port Security working group includes operators and security
personnel. It is confidential and not open to the public and press. A Harbor
Safety working group will be formed and should commence meeting this December,
to include recreational boaters. LCDR Blume pointed out that technically
“security” issues pertain to those relative to the FSRU zone and “safety”
pertains to the issues relative to the carriers as well as boating and aviation
interests. Zones are designated as follows: 0-500 meters = high risk; 501-1600
meters = medium risk; 1600+ meters = low risk.
One current
assessment is that The Race is a critical “choke point”. Thousands of vessels,
including hundreds of major commercial ships, thousands of barges, tugs,
fishing vessels and ferries, and an untold number of recreational boats travel
through and/or anchor in this narrow channel each year.
The current
plan is for Broadwater to submit their formal application late December or
early January. Subsequently, a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),
public hearings, a final EIS and the FERC decision - spread over a six year
period.
LCDR Blume
pointed out the need to document and submit specific issues and questions to
USCG and FERC as appropriate. Public Trust issues should be directed to the
FERC. Change, impact and economic factors are critical in the final decision
process.
The following
links are available to review material that has been submitted to the USCG and
FERC in this regard:
http://www.uscg.mil/d1/units/grumsolis/public.html
http://dms.dot.gov/search/document.cfm?documentid=343150&docketid=21863
Task Force Issues. Since there is no new activity in HS ferry service on LIS, we
will not change the current TF safety brochure, but our web site http://fastferryinfo.org/ will be updated.
Meeting Schedule. The next TF meeting will be Monday, April 24, 2006.
Respectfully submitted,
John Craine for Sandy
McDonald, Secretary