April 4, 2001, Mashantucket, CT -  Despite the sounds of party-goers playing one-armed bandits in nearby smoke filled casinos, shipping industry representatives gathered at Foxwoods Resort in Connecticut to discuss their ports. CQD
Journal for the Maritime Environment Industry was there to find out the latest information about dredging plans in the Port of NY/NJ and future plans for Environmentally Sustainable Harbors. Topics centered around the disposal of dredge materials, a tricky situation that almost brought the Port of NY/NJ to a standstill back
in 1993. Having passed thorough those critical times, members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), the Port Authority of NY/NJ and others, spoke about plans to avoid a repeat of such adverse history.
Goals for the future do not stop on the issue of dredging. Diplomats and Environmental Engineers from the Netherlands discussed how they are vying for the elusive
"sustainable port." U.S. representatives also outlined some of the problems inherent in making a port or better, making the transportation system sustainable.
The following reports are based on presentations made at the Dredging
Remediation & Environmentally Sustainable Harbors Conference, April 4, 2001. Opinions and estimates are those of the Presenter's unless otherwise
noted. CQD Journal for the Maritime Environment Industry makes no assertions as to the validity of the statements or opinions and cannot be
held responsible for any of the information or claims contained therein. We make every effort to report as accurately as possible, as presented by
the speakers during the session. For further information, contact persons are supplied.Beneficial Reuse of Dredge Materials; Dredging & Environmentally Sound Harbors as presented by Dr. Bob Engler
Creative Solutions to Dredge Material Management: NJ experience with Beneficial Use
as presented by Michael RileyRedevelopment of the Port – Building a 21st Century Port
as presented by Richard Larrabee
Economic Needs of Ports, Infrastructure & Workforce – presented by Carter CraftEconomics of Port Redevelopment
– presented by Richard MarshallSustainable Harbors Exchange
– as presented by Pim C.B. deWitSedNet – the demand driven European Sediment Research Network – as presented by Jos Brils
Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water/ Invasive Species
– as presented by Joseph CoxPractical Alternatives to Ballast Water Exchange
– as presented by Richard FredricksProblems of Sustainable Ports
– as presented by Andrew VorosFinding the Money/Funding for Sustainable Harbors
– as presented by Leonard Kotkiewicz
Sampling/Testing Waters for Water Quality and Sediment – as presented by Dr. Bob EnglerWhy Analyze Dredge Sediments and Ballast Water?
– as presented by Michael Melcer
Management and Regulation of Dredge Activities and Dredge Material in NJ – as presented by Larry BaierCriminality of Hazardous Waste Disposal/Oil Spill
– as presented by James T. Shirley
Beneficial Dredging Reuse & Sustainable Harbors Wrap-up - as presented by Frank McDonough Return to Top of Page
Beneficial Reuse of Dredge Materials; Dredging & Environmentally Sound
Harbors as presented by Dr. Bob Engler, Sr. Scientist Army Corps of Engineers. Email: englerr@wes.army.milWeb: www.wes.army.mil/el/dots Dr. Bob Engler discussed the wealth of information available at the web site for the ACE
R&D (above). He described the outline of the site and its' purpose. According to Engler, the Beneficial Use of Dredge Material section of the ACE
website is an "exceptionally important part of the site." Much of the information is in easy-to-understand, one-page fact sheets about aspects of beneficial use for dredge materials. The Sections are:
- Environmental Enhancement – lists fact sheet
 s on wildlife habitats, fisheries improvements and wetlands restoration.
- Engineered Use – such as land creation, beach nourishment, capping, land development and berm creation.
- Agricultural/ Product Uses – such as construction material, aquaculture & topsoil.
Regarding Environmentally Sustainable Harbors, Engler's keys were:
- Low waste/no waste technologies in all aspects.
- Recycling of materials.
- Green areas and public access to green areas of the ports.
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Creative Solutions to Dredge Material Management: NJ experience with
Beneficial Use as presented by Michael Riley, Deputy Director, NJ Maritime Resources. Email: michael.riley@DOT.state.nj.usWeb:
www.state.nj.us/transportation/maritime
Riley described the history of the "Mudlock" crisis whereby political fear created a regulatory deadlock, halting dredge disposal in the Port of NY/NJ from 1993 to 1995.
After 1995, answers were found thanks to a $205 million NJ Bond Act and improvements to brownfields l egislation allowing dredge sediment to be used in port redevelopment projects. Near-future plans for dredge material disposal include building a permanent facility for processing dredge
material and additional port redevelopment projects such as the creation of a golf course along the Hudson River. Riley feels we now have more then enough capacity for the next 10 yrs.
More importantly, Riley believes the ongoing initiatives sponsored by the State of NJ will assure that such a crisis will not re-occur. Implementation is underway for six "very viable" decontamination
technologies, designed to clean up the most contaminated material. He said the systems still need improvements to increase the possibility of upland disposal and meet the process goals of 500,000 yd3
/yr at a cost of $29/yd3. Return to listing of reports
Redevelopment of the Port – Building a 21st Century Port
as presented by Richard Larrabee, Dir., Port Commerce, Port Authority of NY & NJ. Email: dmaynard@panynj.gov
"To compete, we must continue to invest in our ports," said Richard Larrabee, the last of the morning's speakers. "But", Larrabee points out, "managing a port means
managing complex environmental issues and many competing interests such as commercial, fisheries and others." He outlined maritime industry trends such as:
- Bigger ships, greater consolidation of shipping companies.
- An ever-increasing need for intermodal.
- Growing volumes - At an estimated 4.3% annual increase in international trade, in 5 yrs the Port of NY/NJ will be out of cargo space and in 10 yrs the volume of cargo will double.
Larrabee's goal is to expand the Port to meet these needs, but still maintain a world class level of service. He intends to assure the Port gets a return on its investment in
terms of financial return as well as to protect and restore the harbor's environment. In building the 21st Century Port he outlined the following goals:
- Improve productivity,
- Increase terminal capacity,
- Accommodate larger ships, and
- Preserve the harbor with programs such as "green points" strategies.
Larrabee also said his job is to remind people that there IS a port. The fact that fresh fruits and a variety of goods arrive at local markets at a reasonable price is attributable
to the Port of NY/NJ. "There is a process of a very complex infrastructure system," he says and he hopes to educate the 90 million people within one day of the port about that system.
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The following set of reports are in brief, bullet point format
Economic Needs of Ports, Infrastructure & Workforce
– presented by Carter Craft, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Email: carter@waterwire.net
Craft pointed out major difficulties in the infrastructure of the Port of NY/NJ such as: The port is a political dividing line between the states of NY & NJ.
- Cross harbor shipments must travel 140 miles up to Albany and 140 back again to get across the Hudson River.
- Infrastructures of old, such as rail yards, are valuable and should be maintained. The port needs a large upheaval and the best way to keep improvements is not to let the old infrastructure fall apart.
- People should know about all the goods that come through the port. He suggested items should be stamped "Came through the Port of NY/NJ."
- Don't forget that infrastructure of a port is the water itself. Improvements should be made in raising the water quality through sewage treatment plants, etc.
In closing, Craft said we should "keep an eye on the big picture," and remember the needs of the community coincide with the needs of the port. Return to listing of reports
Economics of Port Redevelopment
– presented by Richard Marshall, Harvard Graduate School of Design Email: marshall@gsd.harvard.edu Marshall's research is at the interface between the city and the port working to relieve the sharp breaks between the two. He made a number of points about the economics of Port redevelopment:
- U.S. ports are increasingly taking on the role of
 real estate developers. This trend
is causing varied reactions among the populace.
- The Productivity Edge directly at the waterway used to be the most interactive. Now, production sites are shifting away from the water's edge causing empty spaces of urban redundancy.
- Ports are no longer the center of the transportation hub, but are one part of a larger system of transportation infrastructure.
- Changes in port volumes/economics create spatial problems, hence increased tensions with community groups.
Marshall said his work highlights that planning should not be considered city planning vs. port planning. Instead we must have system planning which takes the port into
account. The port is only one part of a regional urban situation.
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Sustainable Harbors Exchange – as presented by Pim C.B. deWit – Economics
officer, Consulate General of the Netherlands. Email: pim-de.wit@minbuza.nlWeb: http://www.minvenw.nl Ministry of Transportationwww.nwp.nl
Netherlands Water Partnership DeWit discussed resources and plans currently underway in the Port of Rotterdam, the
Netherlands. Rotterdam is hosting two major conferences (1) World Water Forum and (2) EuroPort 2001. He described two websites that detail sustainable harbors efforts.
- Netherlands Water Partnership – over 150 partners working together on a water plan for the Netherlands.
- Virtual Holland Project – Ministry of Transportation web site that describes the water management in the Netherlands, its' history and future.
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SedNet – the demand driven European Sediment Research Network – as
presented by Jos Brils, TNO Environment, Energy & Process Innovation Email: j.m.brils@mep.tno.nlWeb: www.mep.tno.nl/SedNet Brils pointed out that sediment managers in Europe face a whole complex of economic,
ecological and regulatory issues. The scope of sediment management is shifting from local authorities to the entire river basin level. This shift highlighted the need for a
network to deal with the problems of sediment. The new network is called SedNet. According to Brils the objective of SedNet is to be the platform between Problem
Owners and Problem Solvers in the interests of sediment management for rivers and ports in Europe. SedNet will facilitate research activities and provide a guideline to
give information to decision makers and the public. Its' most important function will be the flow of information, says Brils.  Partners include the ports of Rotterdam, Hamburg, Venice and
others. The project started in April 2000 and is currently waiting for EU response to their request for funds.
SedNet will be made up of 6 working groups:
- Three technical groups following research in site investigation and sediment treatment.
- Three socio-economic groups responsible for topics such as financing, communication, planning and decision making.
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Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water/ Invasive Species – as
presented by Joseph Cox, Pres. Chamber of Shipping of America Email: Cox delivered a basic overview of the ballast water problem. He said the ballast water
problem has become a serious issue in the last decade because of increases in ships' volume of ballast water, ships' speed and an appreciation of the problem by all involved. He described some of the "critters" in ballast water. He also pointed out that States in the U.S.A. are not waiting for
international or federal regulations against ships ballast water operations. For instance, Michigan is talking about requiring sterilization of ballast water and the Port of Oakland is suing
to make shippers treat ballast water as a pollutant. The Chamber of shipping is currently involved in a coalition to petition the US Coast Guard to take mandatory action on ballast water management
plans. Cox said we "cannot have ballast water exchange as the only answer, we need better than that." Return to listing of reports
Practical Alternatives to Ballast Water Exchange – as presented by Richard
Fredricks, Maritime Solutions Email:
rfredricks@maritimesolutions.com
Fredricks noted that potential alternatives to ballast water exchange at sea must be:
- Safe, effective, compact, energy efficient, cost effective and crew friendly.
He described a two step process currently being tested by Maritime Solutions:
1. Separation of silt and sediments using a centrifugal separator. 2. Treatment to kill the organisms using either UV radiation or a chemical biocide depending on the flow rate necessary.
Fredrick's system will be tested starting in May '01 on the vessel Cape May. Independent testing will be provided by the Univ. of Maryland. Return to listing of reports
Problems of Sustainable Ports – as presented by Andrew Voros, Clean Ocean Shore
and Trust Email: voros@imcs.rutgers.edu
Voros made a number of comments regarding the problems of sustainable ports. He
stated emphatically, "the region has not provided for the port's continued existence." Environmentally, the port is in the best shape in 60 years, but "Lots of people believe
there exists an ideal green port idea that simply doesn't exist. Lots of folks don't understand what is possible," Voros said. People don't recognize that the port is NOT a natural ecosystem.
A sustainable port means:
1. A sustainable port economy, and 2. the port must be economically productive up to its capacity.
With regards to deepening the channel to 50 ft., Voros said this will create a huge conduit for storm surges of the future. He also insisted that it is vastly important that
we "instrument" the harbor. Return to listing of reports
Finding the Money/Funding for Sustainable Harbors – as presented by
Leonard Kotkiewicz, Deputy Chief, Operations USACE. Email: L.kotkiewicz@usace.army.mil
Kotkiewicz discussed the funding situation for many of the dredging projects currently underway at the ACE, 13th District. For the most part, he noted many of the project
costs are being born by other authorities such as Federal and State governments. He said the ACE is working on the issue of making dredging more cost effective. One
way is to get some of the recipients of beneficial used dredge material to participate in the costs. For instance, he described a project whereby dredge material is being
shipped to Pennsylvania to help their acid mine drainage problem. PA is getting benefit from our sediment, he said. "They should know this and should share in the costs."
Kotkiewicz said emphasis should be placed on providing benefits to local states first, such as using the sediment to fill mines in NJ. NJ Developers are paying lots of money
to plug mines, and we should use dredge material for this use instead. Once private sectors and developers understand the benefits, they will be willing to share in the costs. Return to listing of reports
Sampling/Testing Waters for Water Quality and Sediment – as presented by
Dr. Bob Engler, Sr. Scientist Army Corps of Engineers Email: englerr@wes.army.milWeb: www.wes.army.mil/el/dots Engler gave a precise description on how to sample sediments and save money. He said
the key was to decide the proper way to sample and to develop a sample plan. Fundamentals of a Sampling Plan:
- Know what is the purpose of the data – what is the goal?
- Review historical data and use "reason to believe" criteria based on historical data to help determine sampling.
- Be able to locate hot spots.
- Create a sample number based on the variability of the site.
- Use stratified random sampling to best determine sampling locations.
- Use composite samples to decrease bioassay costs.
- Use sampling methods dependent on the sediment – use best and cheapest for the job at hand.
- Base sampling quantity on the type of analysis required.
- Use appropriate sample handling methods.
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Why Analyze Dredge Sediments and Ballast Water? – as presented by Michael
Melcer, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Email:
melcerm@usmma.edu
Melcer described a number of the reasons for treating dredge sediments and ballast water. Dredge sediments are treated when they contain toxics and pollutants. The question to
ask says Melcer is "Will these be released during removal or at a new site?" and "If released will it really impact the environment?"  According to Melcer, Ballast Water is "the new topic in environmental issues in terms of water." He described some of the exotic invaders
found in ballast water such as sea lampreys and zebra mussels and the impacts of these invaders on local ecosystems.
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Management and Regulation of Dredge Activities and Dredge Material in NJ
– as presented by Larry Baier, Office of Dredging and Sediment Technology, NJ DEP Email: lbaier@dep.state.nj.us
Baier gave a history of the dredge activities in NJ including the need for regulations, why dredge, where to dispose of the material and the future of the port.
The focus of his speech was on the Regulatory Process including:
- Dredge material is not a solid waste
- No new regulations
- NJ is making up a technical manual or a "how to" for dredge material.
He described how NJ DEP gives out Acceptable Use Determinations for dredge materials. He told what techniques could be used when material is to be used as fill.
Baier also described the site OENJ-Bayonne where they will be taking in 4.5 million cubic yards of material and eventually building a golf course on top of the material.
He said beneficial uses of dredge material will give us a long term solution to the dredging problem. Return to listing of reports
Criminality of Hazardous Waste Disposal/Oil Spill – as presented by James T.
Shirley, Jr. Partner, Haight Gardner Email:
jshirl@hklaw.com
Shirley explained how companies involved in criminal marine spill litigation can get sentence reductions if they can prove they had a Compliance Program.
A Compliance Program is an educational process designed to protect officers of a corporation. Return to listing of reports
Beneficial Dredging Reuse & Sustainable Harbors Wrap-up- as presented by
Frank McDonough, Exec. Dir. Nation's Port Email:
maradv1@aol.com McDonough described Nation's Port "Green Deep Harbor Initiative," a guide for
development of multi-use urban ports. According to McDonough, some of the goals of the Initiative are:
- Support multiple site remediation efforts,
- Encourage environmental mitigation projects and mitigation banks,
- Encourage port development to mitigate environmental congestion,
- Encourage green-ways and recreational enhancements,
- Support enhancements for commercial fisheries,
- Support Brownfields development, and
- Support public participation in development planning.
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