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Environment: Grays Harbor, Port Everglades, Port Manatee, Tampa Bay

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The Port of Grays Harbor is contemplating of adding two waterfront public access facilities, Friends Landing and Sterling Landing in eastern Grays Harbor County, to its real estate portfolio. Port Everglades is celebrating Arbor Day 2014 with a tree planting ceremony to mark the start of an extensive mangrove enhancement project as part of a larger construction project to add new cargo berths. Port Manatee anticipates dramatic reductions in emissions and operating costs from two "green" locomotives on the short-line railroad that links the seaport to the CSX Transportation mainline. Port Tampa Bay’s two dredge disposal islands in Hillsborough Bay, together with the Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary have been recognized collectively by BirdLife International and the National Audubon Society for their global significance as bird nesting areas.

Grays Harbor Considers Incorporation of Recreation Area

Popular recreation areas Friends Landing and Sterling Landing in eastern Grays Harbor County could soon be the newest waterfront public access facilities managed by the Port of Grays Harbor. At the April Commission meeting, the 501(c)(3) that owns and operates the facilities requested the port commissioners consider incorporating the facilities into the Port’s property portfolio. A 501c3 is an IRS classification for certain non-profit organizations. Friends Landing is both a name of one of the properties as well as the name of the foundation 501c3.

Port Commission President Stan Pinnick requested staff to investigate the properties, review amenities and improvements associated with the sites, analyze the financial implications of the property transfer, and report back to the commissioners at their May meeting.

Friend’s Landing offers 152 acres of handicap accessible recreation opportunities on the Chehalis River including hiking, fishing, camping and bird watching just outside of Montesano (WA). The site features a 32-acre, man-made lake; 1.7 miles of paved trail; a handicap accessible boat launch on the Chehalis River; and RV and tent camping facilities with full hook-up sites.

Sterling Landing is an undeveloped 30-acre site with a gravel boat launch located on the Wynoochee River outside of Montesano.

"The commissioners and staff are honored that the stewards of these vital waterfront facilities feel the Port of Grays Harbor would be best suited for the long-term management and preservation of these waterfront assets," said Port Executive Director Gary Nelson. "The recreational opportunities provided by these sites align well with the port’s mission of providing public access to our waterfront and promoting tourism for the betterment of the region. My initial thought is they complement our holdings at Satsop Business Park, but like every opportunity that presents itself to the port, we will carefully analyze how these properties might fit with our mission and our business objectives."

Port staff will be conducting its due diligence on both of the properties and the many public assets they have to offer. Staff is expected to make a presentation of its initial findings at the May 13 Commission meeting.


Friends Landing, a 501(c)(3) entity, has requested the Port of Grays Harbor consider incorporating its 152-acre handicap accessible recreation facility, along with the 30-acre Sterling Landing site on the Wynoochee River, into the port’s property portfolio.
Photo/Port of Grays Harbor

 

Port Everglades Celebrates Arbor Day with Start of Upland Mangrove Enhancement Project 

Port Everglades will celebrate Arbor Day, April 25, with a tree planting ceremony to mark the start of an extensive mangrove enhancement project as part of a larger construction project to add new cargo berths.

"The mangrove project grew from a serious need for more berth space for cargo ships into an environmental improvement on port property and at West Lake Park," said Port Everglades Chief Executive & Port Director Steven Cernak, PPM®. "We are creating new wetlands at the port by planting mangroves upland, and extending an existing dock area to accommodate more ships. It is a win-win solution for the port and the environment."

The Southport Turning Notch Extension project will lengthen the existing deep-water turn-around area for cargo ships from 900 feet to 2,400 feet, which will allow for up to five new cargo berths. Super Post-Panamax gantry cranes will be added to serve the existing Southport container berths. The crane rails will be extended to the full length of the extended Turning Notch berth to utilize the existing cranes. The total cost of the Southport Turning Notch Extension is approximately $182 million and will be paid through port-generated revenue and State of Florida funding.

The Upland Mangrove Enhancement project is a critical part of the Southport Turning Notch Extension because it replaces 8.7 acres of existing habitat in the port with a 16.5-acre upland enhancement area of approximately 70,000 new mangrove and wetland plants, as well as completing a number of environmental improvements in West Lake Park.

Port officials worked closely with port users, the environmental community and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to develop the plan for the new mangrove habitat.

More than 100,000 mangrove plants have been growing as part of the $15.8 million project. After the site preparation and planting is completed later this year, there is a one-year "trending for success" waiting period before the FDEP will approve removing the existing mangrove plants, which is anticipated in late 2015.

The construction manager for the Upland Mangrove Enhancement projects is growing the mangroves at two different sites so the plants will be ready to go into the ground once the site work is completed. The Broward County Public Works Department’s Seaport Engineering and Construction Division is overseeing the Upland Mangrove Enhancement and Southport Turning Notch Extension projects.


100,000 mangrove plants being grown in two separate Florida location for the Upland Mangrove Enhancement Area.
Photo/Port Everglades

 

Port Manatee Deploys ‘Green’ Locomotives

Port Manatee is anticipating "dramatic reductions in emissions and operating costs" from its deployment of two "green" locomotives on the short-line railroad that links the Tampa Bay seaport to the CSX Transportation mainline.

The two diesel-electric locomotives, delivered respectively in January and March, were formally welcomed to the port following the April 17 meeting of the Manatee County Port Authority.

Benefits of the new rail units are expected to include reducing emissions of nitrous oxide and particulate matter by as much as 90 percent, as well as cutting fuel costs by about 60 percent, according to Port Executive Director Carlos Buqueras.

Their purchase was finance by a $2.5 million TIGER grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation covered most of the cost for the locomotives and contributions of $264,000 from the Port and the Florida Department of Transportation.

The port’s short line, Port Manatee Railroad, connects directly to the CSX mainline less than a mile from the port’s north gate. The short line includes seven miles of track and 19 switches and has a capacity to handle more than 300 railcars.

The N-Vironmotive 2GS-14B locomotives replace a single switcher engine built in 1958. Each of the new locomotives is powered by a pair of 700-horsepower motors that are computer-controlled so as to maximize efficiency.

"With the support of federal and state partners, Port Manatee is now able to reduce both costs and environmental footprint while enhancing intermodal connectivity," Mr. Buqueras said. "These new ‘green’ locomotives represent a ‘win-win-win’ for the environment, the port and the port’s present and future stakeholders."


Welcoming two new "green" locomotives to Port Manatee are, from left: John Chappie, first vice chairman, Manatee County Port Authority; Carl Warren, director of industrial development and ports, CSX Transportation; Carol Whitmore, chairman, Manatee County Port Authority; Betsy Benac, member, Manatee County Port Authority; Carlos Buqueras, executive director, Port Manatee; and Michael Gallen, second vice chairman, Manatee County Port Authority.
Photo/Port Manatee

 

Port Tampa Bay, Audubon Florida Announce 2014 Nesting Season

Port Tampa Bay works closely with Audubon Florida, as well as state and federal regulatory conservation agencies in Florida, to provide protection annually for nesting birds and their young in the Hillsborough Bay area.

The official bird nesting season is April 1 through August 31, each year.

The port owns and operates two dredge disposal islands in Hillsborough Bay—islands 2D and 3D. Both islands and the Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary have been recognized collectively by BirdLife International and the National Audubon Society for their global significance as bird nesting areas. Protection of the nesting birds that use these islands has evolved into a shared project.

"Port Tampa Bay has earned a leadership role in the management of one of Florida’s most important sites for beach nesting birds," said Ann Paul, Audubon Florida’s regional coordinator, said. Mark Rachal, Audubon’s sanctuary manager added, "We are impressed with the port’s commitment to protect birds that nest on the dredge disposal islands and appreciate the opportunity to work with their staff and contractors to achieve better nesting success for some of Florida’s rarest species."

Islands 2D and 3D and the Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary are designated as "no trespassing" areas year round, and birds that nest in these areas are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, as well as the Florida Threatened and Endangered Species Act of 1977. Penalties for criminal and civil acts have been established for disturbing or harming migratory birds. Port Tampa Bay and Audubon Florida urge cooperation from the boating public in complying with the law and obeying these "no trespassing" designations, to allow nesting migratory birds in Tampa Bay to raise their chicks without disturbance.


Roseate Spoonbills and a Great Blue Heron foraging in Port Tampa Bay’s recently completed mitigation project wetland on the north shore of McKay Bay
Photo/CH2M-Hill

 

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