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Source: Sault Star
Engineers are monitoring the Poe Lock after a gate malfunction closed the largest of the Soo Locks on Wednesday.
“It wasn’t mitring properly so we stopped traffic for a while [Wednesday morning],” said Klein.
“We’re still monitoring it,” he said.
CATHY DOBSON | Source: Sarnia Observer
[The] underwater videography is now complete and its suggests the riverbed near the bridge hasn’t changed, says John Nevin, communications advisor for the International Upper Great Lakes Study.
That flies in the face of assertions made by Georgian Bay homeowners, who claimed in 2005 that ongoing erosion in the riverbed is causing low lake levels. According to the bathtub theory the riverbed is eroding as a result of past dredging, making the channel deeper. With a larger drain-hole at Sarnia, lakes Michigan and Huron are falling.
… Instead, the study has found that the St. Clair’s riverbed south of the Black River appears to have “significantly” changed in size.
“It might be a result of maintenance dredging or perhaps it’s prop wash from propellers. It’s really too early to say,” said Nevin.
Source: Chronicle of an older diver
Slightly over a month later we were in Sarnia, Ontario on a hot (34C), diving a couple of wrecks under the Blue Water Bridge. One wreck, the “Monarch”, lies in the middle of the St. Clair River at a depth of 60 feet. My log book notes a “moderate” 6 knot current. I have memories of hanging on for dear life, especially when the freighters went overhead.
Source: Duluth News Tribune
Commercial shipping between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes was on hold for a few hours today after a malfunction of the Poe Lock in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
The 1,200-foot-long lock’s gate malfunctioned at 9 a.m., and crews were called in to investigate with an underwater camera. Three ships were delayed while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worked to determine the cause of the malfunction.
Repairs were made by early afternoon, allowing normal vessel traffic to resume.
by Elizabeth Dunbar | Source: Forbes
ST. PAUL - The state pollution control agency approved strict standards for ships that discharge ballast water into Lake Superior, hoping they will cut down on the spread of harmful invasive species.
Unlike federal proposals pending in Congress, the new permit process will cover both oceangoing vessels and ships that stay within the Great Lakes.
…. by 2016, ships will be required to treat their ballast water before dumping it into Minnesota waters.
Details of interim and longer-range management, enforcement at Forbes >>
James Rowen | Source: The Political Environment
The Great Lakes Compact won overwhelming approval in the US House of Representatives today, and moves to the White House for the president’s promised signature.
On balance, this is an important advancement for Great Lakes preservation, and hats off to the many activists and public officials who spent years getting this document created and approved.
Several issues remain.
The first is the need for …
Source: Trading Markets
A strike by St. Lawrence Seaway employees would result in a loss of east coast shipping capacity at a time when western Canadian producers can least afford it, according to an industry source.
“It’s a prime time for western Canadian producers to market their grain and oilseed crops and to sell those commodities onto the world market at a good value,” Rick Steinke, Director of logistics, for the Canadian Wheat Board, said.
Grain and oilseeds from western Canada are generally railed to port facilities at Thunder Bay, Ontario. From there the grain and oilseeds are generally transferred from Thunder Bay terminals to east coast transfer elevators located at the mouth of the St. Lawrence Seaway system by laker vessels. Some smaller ocean going vessels can also load at Thunder Bay terminals.
“Our understanding is that if the strike by the St. Lawrence workers goes ahead, it will be very difficult to move grain through the St. Lawrence Seaway without the seaway management corporation employees,” Steinke said. “We need them to operate the locks and allow for the flow of products.”
R.G. Edmonson | Source: Journal of Commerce Online
WASHINGTON — A stalemate in the Senate over the regulation of ships’ ballast water has led a coalition of carriers to urge lawmakers to make sure any ballast water standards are consistent throughout the United States.
The letter expresses concern that under the Clean Water Act, states are encouraged to regulate pollution sources within their boundaries. Ships that call at ports in many states could face “a patchwork of overlapping, inconsistent federal and state requirements.”
…Carriers are pessimistic that senators can reach an agreement in time to stop a court-ordered EPA general permit system under the Clean Water Act on Oct. 15.
In addition to World Shipping, the letter was sent by the Chamber of Shipping of America, American Waterways Operators, and Intertanko, the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners based in Oslo.
Read the full story, parts of the letter at the Journal of Commerce Online >>
Source: Canadian Press
Senator Barack Obama will propose a $5-billion trust fund for Great Lakes cleanup and restoration if elected president, his campaign said Tuesday.
The fund, to be phased in over 10 years, would be the centrepiece of a plan that also includes designating a co-ordinator to oversee Greats Lakes programs and a stepped-up fight against invasive species.
… The trust fund would be paid for by rolling back tax breaks for oil companies, Obama’s campaign said. It would support a variety of projects including sewage system repairs, cleanup of polluted sediments and restoration of wetlands and wildlife habitat.
The Great Lakes co-ordinator, based in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, would help develop a priority list for federal, state and local initiatives.
Obama’s program also pledges a “zero toxics” policy for the lakes, which make up nearly one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water. It calls for measuring pollution already entering the lakes, determining the sources and reducing future deposits.
Another priority would be strengthening federal standards against mercury, a leading Great Lakes pollutant, the campaign said.
The plan also promises a more aggressive effort to prevent additional exotic species from reaching the lakes, particularly the Asian carp, which has infested the Mississippi River and is moving toward Lake Michigan.
It says Obama would work with the eight Great Lakes states to stop freighters from bringing exotics to the region in their ballast water.
Full story, quotes, and McCain camp reply at Canadian Press >>
Eric McGuinness | Source: Hamilton Spectator
Four Hamilton industries, including the two big steelmakers, will no longer be allowed to exceed bylaw limits for phenolic compounds going into city sewers.
U.S. Steel, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, tar producer VFT Canada and waste manager Newalta have overstrength agreements under which they pay the city to treat phenol compounds in their sewage. Similar agreements exist for other chemicals the Woodward Avenue wastewater plant is said to be capable of handling.
But Jim Harnum, senior director of water and wastewater, told council’s public works committee yesterday that the plant’s effluent, which flows into the harbour, doesn’t meet the provincial objective of 0.001 milligrams of phenol per litre.
In addition, some phenol compounds are toxic and the city can’t test for them all.
Phenolic compounds include coal-tar derivatives used in germicides and disinfectants, the brain chemical serotonin and capsaicin in pepper spray.
Source: Lake Carriers Association
With higher water levels allowing Great Lakes freighters to carry bigger cargoes, the iron ore trade on the Great Lakes totaled 6.8 million net tons in August, an increase of 8.6 percent compared to a year ago.
The increase in water levels did allow one U.S.-Flag Laker to twice carry more than 68,000 tons in a single trip. However, if dredging of the Great Lakes Navigation System was sufficient to allow for a full load, the 1,000-foot-long vessel would have carried more than 71,000 tons each trip.
For the year, the Great Lakes iron ore trade stands at 39 million tons, an increase of 10 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments also are ahead of the 5-year average for the January-August timeframe by a like margin.
Related: Seaway unionized workers OK strike after October 10th - Seaway System
by Matthew Van Dongen | Source: St. Catharines Standard
St. Lawrence Seaway workers, including about 300 in Niagara, have given their union a strike mandate.
In three separate votes this month, 445 Seaway workers gave their union a mandate to strike after Oct. 10, said Mike Menicanin, a national representative for Canadian Auto Workers.
That includes operations and maintenance workers, supervisors and headquarters staff from Niagara to Quebec.
… If a strike happened, the seaway would close. The company said it is preparing a contingency plan for “an orderly shutdown.”
Steve Orr | Source: Democrat and Chronicle
After holding public hearings, the commissioners failed to adopt Plan B+ or anything else. Instead, another plan was developed behind closed doors. That regimen, called Plan 2007 and released early this year, was cast as protecting shoreline properties while aiding the environment somewhat.
More public hearings, including one in Greece, were held. Many shoreline residents said they could live with Plan 2007 or with the current rules. Environmentalists continued to lobby for B+ and panned Plan 2007.
But now that plan, too, is being scrapped by the IJC. In its letter, the commissioners said the hearings revealed “serious divisions” and “little support” for Plan 2007.
Instead, they want help in crafting yet another plan, one that would, according to the IJC letter, “move toward more natural flows to benefit the environment, while respecting other interests.”
For the first time, though, the IJC is asking the government agencies to put together specific plans to deal with the impact of the higher and lower water levels that might result from a pro-environment regimen.
Source: Lake Carriers Association
Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 4.4 million net tons in August. While the total represents an increase of 12 per cent compared to a year ago, shipments in August of 2007 were sluggish, said the Lake Carriers’ Association.
“The five-year average is the better barometer,” said the Association, “and in that regard, this August was off the pace by nearly 100,000 tons.”
Although water levels have risen, the dredging crisis continued to limit the amount of stone vessels could deliver to customers. Read the rest of this entry »
by Jeff Kart | Source: Bay City Times
Dredging of the Upper Saginaw River is set to begin later this month, now that a contract has been awarded for the work.
The river’s navigational channel will be cleared for the first time in more than a decade, said Wayne Schloop, chief of operations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Detroit.
Ships have had to lighten their loads for years on the river, driving up costs and threatening about 200 jobs associated with shipping.
“We did an emergency portion back in 2006, but we haven’t really done any type of comprehensive dredging since the mid-90s on the river,” Schloop said.
…The contract has been awarded to low-bidder Luedtke Engineering Co. of Frankfort for $1.9 million. The company plans to begin the dredging by the end of the month and finish it this fall, Schloop said.
By BOB MIHELL | Source: Sault This Week
“A shoreline greening project is also underway at Essar Steel Algoma, with hydro seeding and tree planting in progress along the entire shoreline, commencing at the eastern perimeter in back of the Administration Building and planned to extend all the way to the western perimeter of the property. Apart from the obvious aesthetic value of a greening initiative, the plantings will help improve air quality.
In addition, a very large berm is under construction, with the first phase nearing completion. Beginning at the western corner of the boat slip, spanning approximately 200-feet wide at the bottom, standing about 50 feet high and extending 300 feet long, the berm is designed to prevent trace dust particles from the coal piles from migrating off the property.
“To address the potential for coal pile run off, a collection trench is maintained to keep the water from entering the slip. The Company has also commenced a dust suppression program on the coal piles and surrounding roadways to reduce the amount of particulate released into the air.”
Since the Indian multinational, Essar Global, assumed ownership of the Canadian steelmaker in June 2006, it has come under intense public and government scrutiny as a result of Essar’s plans to double steel production within five years.
Stenta described a dredging project currently underway with MOE approval at Saw Mill Point in preparation for new dock facilities to allow Essar Algoma to substantially increase freighter traffic bringing additional raw materials, such as coal and iron ore, to the plant.
Stenta wrote: “Essar Steel Algoma has taken steps through our dredging contractor, Purvis Marine, to put a silt curtain in place to ensure any sediment that may be disturbed will not be carried downstream. In addition, Purvis Marine has acquired new, state of the art dredging equipment that provides for less sediment disturbance and features GPS devices on the hoist allowing for very accurate, targeted dredging.
By Nathan McDonald | Source: The Palladium-Times
Sediment deposits that have accumulated along the bottom of Lake Ontario since it was last dredged in 2004 will be removed beginning Monday.
New York state Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Friday that the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) will start the dredging process at the Port of Oswego Authority to remove the excess sediment which has dangerously constricted access to waterways used by ships to deliver cargo.
…The port of Oswego is the only deep-water port on the U.S. side of Lake Ontario and maintaining correct channel depths is critical to its continued operations as such.
Source: Sandusky Register
… new research on the effects of global warming on Lake Erie, to be discussed in a paper being prepared for submission to the Journal of Great Lakes Research, suggests that Lake Erie’s water level could fall as much as 1.2 feet by 2050.
That has important implications on the area’s economy, because it would hurt Great Lakes shipping, Wuebbles said.
“One inch could cause a very huge impact,” he said.
Jim Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers Association in Cleveland, said he is not an expert on global warming, but his organization has calculated the effect of shallower water, whether it’s caused by global warming, lack of dredging or another reason.
When one of the 1,000-foot vessels with U.S. flags in the Lake Carriers Association lose one inch of water, it means the ship can carry 8,000 tons less cargo, Weakley said. That’s enough coal to provide three hours of electricity for Greater Detroit. That one-inch loss means the U.S.-flagged Great Lakes fleet — 63 ships total, including the 13 1,000-footers — would carry 400,000 fewer tons a year.
One “laker,” as the freighters are called, can carry as much cargo as 2,800 trucks, Weakley’s group says.
Full story on many levels of impact, lively comments at the Sandusky Register >>
By FRANK DOBROVNIK | Source: The Sault Star
Essar Steel Algoma is a beehive of activity these days as it prepares to nearly double steel-making capacity by the end of next year, including building a new dock-face to accommodate hundreds more vessels.
“It’s very tight. There’s not a lot of capacity left,” said chief operating officer Armando Plastino.
With the No. 6 blast furnace now up and running alongside No. 7, Essar aims to be able to ship out four million tons of finished coil and slab by the end of 2009. That means bringing in that much more raw material.
…Algoma has just under 500 boats coming in and out over a typical shipping season. Plastino expects that to increase to about 700, with little room for snags, he said.
“You’ve got to get all your raw materials here by Dec. 15, and the locks don’t reopen until the end of March. You’ve got to have enough raw materials to last you through the winter.”
Very interesting story, more quotes and specifics, photo at the Sault Star >>
Source: Sault Star
The St. Mary’s River won’t run quite as high this month, as the International Lake Superior Board of Control responds to August’s Lake Superior water level decline.
Lake Superior, which normally rises by one centimetre in August, dropped by five centimetres last month.
Water supplies to the basins of Lake Superior and lakes Michigan-Huron were well below their long-term averages, said the board of control in its regular outflow update.
The reduced rate will mean decreased water levels on the St. Mary’s Rapids this month.
Read the rest of the story at the Sault Star >>
The Walter J. McCarthy, a 1000-footer, anchored above the Rock Cut Wednesday evening, likely due to low water levels. The St Marys River was well below datum at that point. The McCarthy had long since departed anchorage and cleared the River as of mid-day Thursday, September 4th.
Loaded freighters often anchor above and below the Rock Cut when water levels drop. Failing to wait could have disastrous results; without enough water, they may strike bottom, run firmly aground, damage the hull, and even possibly spill some of their cargo in the waterway.
It is more common to see ships anchored in the St Marys in the autumn and early winter months, as water levels tend to run lower in the lakes and therefore the river during that time of year. ##
Web: NOAA Great Lakes Online - live water level readings around the Great Lakes
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