thelog.com News Briefs From page 4


ing safety classes. Those who receive the grants through this program would not be able to directly profit from it, meaning the money from the grant must be put entirely towards the class- es, Israel said. Israel’s bill was referred to the


committees on Agriculture and Ways and Means and the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs. There has been no committee


action on, nor has anyone cosponsored, either bill. GovTrack.us a website that


tracks bills and members of Congress gave Schumer’s bill only a 1 percent chance of being enacted by the Senate.


Senator questions public funding for patrol of safety zones at private events by Coast Guard


In response to reports that for some regattas, yacht club parties and even weddings, the Coast Guard assigns boats and crews to enforce “safety zones” on heavily trafficked waterway, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said that he was asking the Coast Guard for details on the costs involved with the safety zones they establish for private parties. Blumenthal, the senior senator


from Connecticut, made his request after learning that docu- ments obtained through Freedom of Information requests and interviews by The Associated Press show Coast Guard crews are involved in providing security at no expense for dozens of private- ly sponsored events in the New York and Long Island Sound sec- tors. “There’s a strong argument


that private organizations, whether clubs or private parties, should bear the cost instead of taxpayers,” Blumenthal said. Unlike police agencies that


provide security support for pri- vate events on land, the Coast Guard does not seek reimburse- ment, leaving the bill to taxpay- ers. The deployment of resources varies for each event, but in the case of a two-hour event for a July wedding on Long Island Sound the Coast Guard sent two 25-foot boats that are worth $1,500 an hour — for a total of $6,000. The patrols can be ordered at


the discretion of Coast Guard offi- cials across the United States, but no sectors are busier than those for New York and Long Island Sound, which are responsible for waterways that are congested with yachts and powerboats dur- ing the summer. Coast Guard officials say their


patrols are part of their congres- sionally mandated mission to protect the boating public, including those who might put themselves at risk by approach- ing for a closer look at fireworks. To them, it makes no difference whether the event sponsor is a town or a private party. While the New York and Long Island Sound sectors dispatch boats for many private events, such deployments are the excep- tion in at least one of the other busiest sectors, San Francisco, where the Coast Guard has over- seen safety measures without conducting patrols itself for events including Google’s “Night at Sea” fireworks displays last December. Lt. Cmdr. Amy Wirts, of the


Northern California sector, said sponsors generally provide on- water security through contracts with police, which do receive reimbursement. Sponsors of any event on the


water must apply for a permit and, while most are approved, the security measures depend on the complexity of an event. If a “safety zone” is deemed necessary to keep other boats away, the Coast Guard at a minimum publishes a notice in a federal register and advises boaters to keep their dis- tance over a radio broadcast. A Coast Guard official, the captain of the port, decides what assets will be deployed judging by fac- tors that include the scale of the event, the time of day and the anticipated amount of boat traffic. Coast Guard officials in


Washington said they do not keep data nationally on how dif- ferent sectors enforce safety zones. Around the country, sec- tors said the decision to send out active-duty boats depends on factors that vary widely from one case to another. Coast Guard officials said they


could not provide a cost estimate for patrolling the zones because the events vary so widely. But a manual of Coast Guard reim- bursement rates lists small response boats at about $1,500 per hour and medium-size boats at more than $8,000 per hour, in the event they are dispatched for what turns out to be a hoax. The Coast Guard does reimburse its volunteer auxiliary for fuel used when helping patrol the zones. —Associated Press


Marina owners can seek clean vessel grants


MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is offering grants to mari- na operators who want to improve their sewage pump-out facilities. The department’s Mike


Wichrowski said the facilities are meant to assist boaters with


onboard sewage holding tanks to dispose properly of the black water. Typical project proposals in


Vermont are from marinas that want to construct or upgrade pump-out facilities to assist boaters in properly disposing of sewage.


Eligible projects can include


the construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance of pump-outs and dump stations used by boaters. The grants will pay up to 75


percent of the costs. Vermont Fish and Wildlife manages the grant program for the federal government.


Minnesota couple embarks on 2,000-mile canoe trip


DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Fifty years after the Wilderness Act was signed into law, a Minnesota cou- ple is taking a nearly 2,000-mile canoe trip across the country to Washington, D.C. Dave and Amy Freeman


embarked on their journey along the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on Aug. 24 to cele- brate the anniversary of the law and to highlight their opposition to proposed sulfide mining near the 1.1 million-acre recreational area, WDIO-TV reported. They started in Ely and briefly boarded a sailboat carrying a group of supporters after they reached rough waters on Lake Superior in Duluth. The Freemans hope to edu-


cate people about the environ- ment and their mission to protect the Boundary Waters along the way. They also plan to collect sig- natures on their canoe, as well as an online petition, which they hope to show President Obama when they reach Washington, D.C., in December. Dave Freeman and his wife


are concerned that sulfide mining will damage the fresh waters of northern Minnesota, he said. PolyMet and Twin Metals, both of which mine precious metals mainly used to manufac- ture electronic, say sulfide mining can be done in a way that pro-


tects the environment. They also say the new method can also help the local economy. State and local agencies are


conducting strict environmental reviews of both companies.


STATEWIDE


CG nabs 3 smugglers with over a ton of pot off San Nicolas Island


LOS ANGELES (LOG NEWS SERV- ICE) — Three Mexican men are facing federal drug smuggling charges following their arrest Sept. 13 by Coast Guard units in connection with the interdiction of a panga carrying over a ton of marijuana about 57 miles south- west of San Nicolas Island — one of the eight Channel Islands off Southern California. The Coast Guard said in a


release that a 130 Hercules air- craft from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento spotted a suspicious panga while on patrol. The aircrew relayed the coordi- nates to the Cutter Active, a 210- foot Medium Endurance Cutter, for further investigation as they were patrolling nearby. Active began to move into a position to intercept the vessel while the Cutter Blacktip was maneuvering to assist. The crew aboard Active launched their small boat to intercept the panga with a boarding team onboard. The Coast Guard said its team was able to board the vessel without incident.


A visual inspection of the ves-


sel by the boarding team led to the discovery of 267 bales of marijuana, with a total weight of more than 3,300 pounds. “As we’ve become increasing-


ly effective at interdicting mar- itime smuggling attempts, smug- glers are resorting to more advanced and diverse tactics,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles. “That includes carrying multi-ton loads of contraband and going farther out to sea. However, as the crew of this panga discov-


Northern California fishermen find rare sea turtle


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A boat of salmon fishermen unexpected- ly snagged a rare green sea turtle while fishing for salmon outside the Golden Gate Bridge. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the turtle is usually


found off the shores of Mexico and the Galapagos Island. A fisher- man aboard the Sausalito, California-based Lusty Lady snagged the 150 pound turtle on Sept. 6. After determining the turtle was unharmed, removing the hook and snapping a few photographs, the crew tossed the turtle back into the ocean. The photos were sent to scientists at the Turtle Island


Restoration Network in Marin County. The scientists identified it as the endangered green sea turtle and speculated that it was a young adult male or female. The water temperature in the area is five degrees warmer than


normal.


The Log • Sept. 26 - Oct. 9, 2014 • 21


ered, those efforts are increasing- ly proving fruitless in the face of the overwhelming federal law enforcement response.” The panga, contraband, and


the three suspected smugglers were transferred from Active to Blacktip. The crew of Blacktip transported the suspects to shore and turned them over to investigators with the multia- gency Border Enforcement Security Task Force for question- ing.


The Cutter Active is home-


ported in Port Angeles, Washington. The Cutter Blacktip is an 87-foot patrol boat sta- tioned in Oxnard.


King Harbor nonprofit launches growth plan


REDONDO BEACH – King Harbor Boating Foundation (KHBF) has announced a growth plan that calls for the creation of an endow- ment fund, an expanded volun- teer board of directors, the estab- lishment of an advisory board and the introduction of its Waterfront Education program to serve the South Bay communities surrounding King Harbor. As part of its community outreach efforts, it has hired Dan Zenka of Zenka Com, a local branding, public rela- tions and marketing communica- tion consultancy, to brand KHBF and promote its programs. “After just one year as a non-


profit organization, we are excited to unveil our growth plan and bring more programs to the local community,” commented Julie Coll, chairman of KHBF’s board of directors. “Our roadmap will enable us to attract more of our community to enjoy our ocean waters while promoting water safety and stewardship for our natural resources. We are very excited to be in the development stages of our Waterfront Education (WE) program, a unique series of hands-on learn- ing experiences that will enthuse and inspire participants. The pro- gram will be phased in during the coming months and will initially focus on curriculum for middle school-aged youth.” KHBF organizes an array of


annual events and programs, including the annual King Harbor Sea Fair, now in its eighth year, bringing area residents, business- es and organizations to the water, promoting safe water recreation practices, education and steward- ship of the local marine environ- ment; and the King Harbor Holiday Boat Parade. The founda- tion’s programs introduce local neighbors to the clubs, business- es and varied activities available to them in and around King Harbor. The programs also serve as a catalyst for organizations, local businesses and community members to forge new partner- ships that enhance the overall marine experience.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60