August 2017 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 5. P S M Minutes: Forum #110 June 14, 2017; University of Southern
Maine, Room 216, Abramson Center, 88 Bedford Street, Portland, ME 04101 Introductions – The meeting was called
to order at 10:00 by the Port Safety Forum Co-Chair John Henshaw representing the Maine Port Authority with Commander An- drew Meyers as the Co-Chair representing the Coast Guard. A quorum was comprised of 20 individuals. Review and Approval of the March 22,
2017 Port Safety Forum Meeting Minutes – Hearing no objections to the content of the March 22, 2017 minutes, Mr. Henshaw accepted the minutes as approved. Port Activities Update:
Army Corps of Engineers - Ed O’Don-
nell, Army Corps of Engineers delivered a presentation about the ongoing and pro- posed dredging projects in Maine and New Hampshire for 2017, 2018, and 2019. The following projects were mentioned in the presentation: Pig Island Gut; Sagamore Creek; Hampton Harbor; Saco River; Bid- deford Pool (trying to secure funding); York Harbor (est. start date November 2017); Wells Harbor; Union River; Cape Porpoise; Searsport; and Rye Harbor The Harbor Maintenance Tax Fund
had $8.83 billion in 2016 and the USACOE received a $1.2 million budget for projects in New England. Mr. O’Donnell explained the need to keep the Cape Arundel dis- posal site open for the next fi ve years. A proposed project for the improvement of the Piscataqua River requires fi nding a use for the dredged sand. It may be possible to use a disposal site around Isle of Shoals. A Boston Harbor maintenance and improve- ment project is in the works for 2018/2019. International Ferry Operations - Jim Wilson; Bay Ferries
Mr. Wilson delivered a presentation
about The CAT international ferry which returned to service in 2016. The CAT connects Portland, ME and Yarmouth, NS with daily Ro/Pax ferry service. The vessel (Alakai) is on a charter from Military Sealift Command (MSC) for a 2+1+1 contract. The additional term years will be determined in the very near future. The return of The CAT was possible with crucial support from Senator Angus King, the congressional dele- gation, and the City of Portland, with thanks to Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard. Service commenced to
Nova Scotia on June 25, 2016. So far, the vessel had made 100 crossings with 35,515 passengers. The CAT has also successfully conducted two rescue at sea operations. Surveys have reported a 93% satisfaction rate among passengers. 75% of passengers said they would ride The CAT again. The 2017 season started two weeks early and will extend for an additional two weeks on the closing end.
NOAA Update
LCDR Meghan McGovern; NOAA NOAA delivered a presentation which
detailed three aspects of NOAA activity around coastal Maine. Draft for the National Charting Plan –
The Charting Plan is intended to improve chart coverage, specifi cally electronic charts (ECDIS) and reduce the amount of unwant- ed chart information. It will also improve accuracy and coverage of charts. The Federal Register comment period closed June 1 but NOAA is still accepting feedback/com- ments until 1-July. The link to the draft National Charting Plan is below: https://
www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/docs/ NationalChartingPlan.pdf
Comments can be submitted directly
to NOAA though this link (please reference the National Charting Plan): https://ocs-
data.ncd.noaa.gov/idrs/inquiry.aspx?from- page=ContactUs Penobscot Bay Hydrographic Survey
- Two small vessels will be conducting the survey in the defi ned area. They will be starting within the next few months and are hopeful to fi nish in 2017. Gulf of Maine Operational Forecast
System. This is currently in the testing phase and *not for navigation*, however, NOAA will appreciate any feedback on the various products being showcased here: https://
tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ofs/dev/gomofs/ gomofs.html. • Feedback can be delivered via
email (
meghan.mcgovern@
noaa.gov) and she’ll be sure to get it to the development team. For more in-depth follow-up LCDR McGovern can put individuals in touch with the team directly. Alternative Tidal Energy Project Status Mr. Nathan Johnson, Director of Envi- ronmental Aff airs and Business Devel- opment for ORPC
Ocean Renewable Power Company,
LLC (ORPC) is a global leader in hydroki- netic power system technology with a focus
on environmentally suitable river and ocean power solutions and electricity generation. ORPC is commercializing proprietary tidal and river power systems (TidGen® and RivGen®) which use a patented turbine generator unit (TGU) as the core component. In Eastport, ORPC has led a ground
breaking tidal energy prototype project in Cobscook Bay. The Tidal Energy Project was the fi rst grid-connected ocean energy system in all of the Americas. ORPC guided the project from initial concept to a licensed, installed, and operating project deliver- ing electricity to the utility grid under a long-term power purchase agreement with Emera Maine. With components fabricated in other New England states, the bulk of the construction of the prototype, including the structure, was all completed and deployed in Maine. ORPC worked closely with local fi shermen and applicable agencies to ensure the deployment of the turbine was conducted to reduce impacts on shipping routes as well as fi shing and aquaculture grounds. The Eastport turbine’s unique design
includes: Four cross-fl ow turbines designed for coastal regions with large tidal ranges. Single driveline connects turbines to a direct-drive permanent magnet generator. Low vertical profi le. Rated capacity: 300 kW. Device dimensions: 25 m x 5 m x 2 m. A follow-on generation; the “Advance
TideGen Device,” includes a modified buoyant system anchored in place with a tension leg system. The newer version will be easier and less expensive to install and retrieve and less intrusive compared to the previous design. The projected milestones of the Advance TideGen Device include: Subsystem fi eld validation in Cobscook Bay – early 2019. System validation in Western
Passage 2019 – 2020. Alternative Wind Energy Project Status Mr. Jake Ward, University of Maine/ Aqua Ventus
Mr. Ward presented on behalf of Aqua
Ventus of Maine on the Aqua Ventus 1 update. This project involves two 6 MW turbines that utilize a semi-submersible hull design with anchors to remain on station off - shore. The proposed demonstration project site will be off shore near Monhegan Island. The project will occur in multiple phases, with specifi c note being made to when actual off shore towing and cable laying operations will commence. Anchor and cable patterns will be laid out in spring 2019, with the fl oating hull and turbines being towed out for installation in the Fall of 2019. Utilizing a large source of untapped energy, off shore wind is an exciting prospect that could be realized with the success of the Aqua Ventus 1 project.
Coast Guard Update
CDR Andy Meyers – Sector Northern New England
Casco Bay Full Scale Exercise - On
June 7, 2017, the Coast Guard partnered with Sprague Energy to co-host and execute a full-scale exercise of the Area Contingency Plan which outlines roles, responsibilities, and strategies to respond to oil spills. The exercise is a unifi ed federal eff ort and sat- isfi es the exercise requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Environmen- tal Protection Agency (EPA) under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) which man- dates federal oil pollution response exercise requirements. The June 7 full scale exercise was a great opportunity for both public and
Continued on Page 10.
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