2. Updates, Questions & Answers

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Meeting Minutes: Dredging & Marine Construction Subcommittee Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee Meeting Time: Tuesday, 19 January 2016, 10:30 Meeting Place: The ACTion Group Address: 15201 East Fwy, #

1 Meeting Minutes: Dredging & Marine Construction Subcommittee Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee Meeting Time: Tuesday, 19 January 2016, 10:30 Meeting Place: The ACTion Group Address: East Fwy, # 214, Channelview, TX A.) Dredge Subcommittee Meeting 10:30 to 11:30 1. Introduction to dredge subcommittee members and sign in sheet 2. Updates, Questions & Answers a. Port of Houston channel projects b. Marine Construction c. Federal projects (USACE) i. Weeks Pipeline Crossing - Weeks Marine Inc. and the USACE have agreed to move the red buoy from its current position approximately 100 feet eastward past the federal channel toe. Weeks Marine Inc. will not be able to do any additional dredging in this area. The submerged pipeline will remain in the same location but the buoy will be moved past the toe. (See attached drawing) d. Non VTS A request has been made that dredging of the dredge pipeline crossing trenches be extended to the slopes of the channel in certain critical areas. Coordination will be required with the Galveston District to delineate any problem areas with the end result of language being added to future dredging contracts. 3. USCG Safety Alert (Full text attached) - Issued to remind recreational boaters and commercial vessel operators to use caution when operating their vessels near areas where dredging operations may be taking place. This alert also reminds commercial entities to make sure all components of pipelines are properly marked and accounted for regardless of the recreational boating season and locations where dredging is taking place. The Coast Guard strongly recommends anyone immediately report issues associated with improperly marked or unmarked dredging components to the nearest Coast Guard unit. Persons and organizations associated with dredging and other commercial activities that cause or create navigation hazards to follow the requirements of the Navigation Rules, specifically Title 33, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 83, Subpart C, (Rule 27). For the Houston-Galveston area, reports should be made by phone to the USCG Command Center at or by marine radio on channel LSHSC dredge subcommittee short (1-2 yrs) and long term goals (3-5yrs). a. Maintain and overview of USACE projects, schedules, and pre-dredge conferences. b. Communicate with VTS, Pilots, port authorities, and USACE c. Committee outreach through the Port Authorities and private terminals to educate all facility operators on the importance of maintaining adequate depth alongside their berths.

2 d. Coordination between dredging subcommittee and Nav Ops. 5. Next Scheduled Meeting a. Full committee: 5 February, 9:00-12:00, Houston Pilots b. Subcommittee: 1 March, 10:30, TBA B.) Action Items: C.) Open discussion: On 9 March at the Houston Pilots office in Deer Park, CRA will hold a workshop to discuss the nature of sediment found in the local ship channels. The presentation is titled Sediment: Fluff vs. Liquid Mud.

3 - - UPDATES - - PHA Projects: Bayport Widening and Deepening The dredge Linda LaQuay continues to deepen the existing channel within the land cut at Bayport. They are currently at approximate station 75+00, across from dock 5, working inbound. A new schedule was received from the contractor showing a significant schedule slip. New work dredging of the Bayport channel should now be complete by the end of the year, maintenance dredging will be done by an additional dredge set to arrive later this year and it should be done about the same time. To date, the widening of the bay reach of the channel, the deepening of Bayport container wharfs 2-5 and the deepening of the existing channel from station to approximately has been completed. Additional information regarding the contract can be found at This site will be updated when new information is available Bayport Flare The PHA and USACE are continuing to work on contract options that will allow the award of a contract that will included the dredging of the bend easing and HSC widener at the confluence of the HSC and Bayport channel. The current goal is for contract award in approximately 6 months. Feasibility Study Work continues on the initial phase of the study. 217 Coordination: The PHA continues to press for acceptable 217 language with a goal of better access to placement area capacity by users of federal ship channels. The PHA is partnering with the Port of Corpus Christi and the Texas Ports Association on this effort. PHA Ditching The PHA contractor who will be doing the ditching work at the Clinton PA should begin work sometime in February. PA Availability The PHA placement area availability flyer is still in draft form. USACE Headquarters is working on developing a policy regarding placement area tipping fees. This policy will be based on existing law and will allow for pricing to be decided by market demand. The PHA opposes this pricing method and will continue to work with the Corps on developing a fair method to develop the tipping fees that would be based more on the actual cost to create the capacity rather than market demand.

Marine Construction Permits: Enterprise Products Operating LLC Location: Bayport Ship Channel TB Project: Reconstruct

421,000 cubic yards of dredged material CGBM Global LLC Location: Old River Project: Position spud barges to be used for

yards of dredged material Note: Three phase plan San Jacinto River Fleet LLC Location: Houston Ship Channel Project:

4 Marine Construction Permits: Enterprise Products Operating LLC Location: Bayport Ship Channel TB Project: Reconstruct Dock 8 and associated structures; construction of a bulkhead on Spilman Island Dredge to -45 ft MLT, approximately 421,000 cubic yards of dredged material CGBM Global LLC Location: Old River Project: Position spud barges to be used for mooring barges, install eight steel pilings, and construct a bulkhead Dredge to -8 feet MLLW, approximately 27,000 cubic yards of dredged material Note: Three phase plan San Jacinto River Fleet LLC Location: Houston Ship Channel Project: Position spud barges to be used in a barge staging area Note: Pending executed riparian lease between SJRF LLC and Chevron Phillips

5 Federal Projects: Ongoing projects: Sims to Turning Basin: Awarded March 27, 2015 to CJW Construction Inc. Dredging underway with Dredge Beau Caroline. Modification was awarded to address shoaled areas of Light Draft Channel. Contractor anticipates starting dredging of Light Draft in February. Contract Completion expected April Spilman PA spillbox replacement: Awarded to RLB Contracting, Inc on July 28, Work underway. Completion expected March PA 15 and Mid Bay PA Shoreline Stabilization: Awarded to Bertucci Contracting Co. LLC on July 23, Work underway. Completion expected January HSC Exxon to Carpenters: Awarded to Weeks Marine, Inc on Sept 21, Dredging underway with Dredge E.W. Ellefson. Contract completion date is in May, but Contractor is expected to finish ahead of schedule. Galveston Pelican Island Placement Area Levee Repairs: Awarded to RLB Contracting, Inc. on Sept 16, Completion expected in June GIWW High Island to Rollover: awarded to Mike Hooks, Inc. on Sept 25, Dredging underway. Completion expected in February GIWW Causeway to Bastrop: Awarded to Mike Hooks, Inc. on October 28, Dredging anticipated to begin in February Upcoming projects FY 16: Galveston Harbor Dredging: Advertised, scheduled for March 2016 award HSC Placement Area 14 Dewatering: scheduled for March 2016 award Galveston Causeway Debris Removal: Anticipating advertise of contract by Feb HSC Morgan s to Exxon: scheduled for April 2016 award Freeport Entrance Channel (FY16 maintenance dredging job): schedule for July 2016 award Houston Ship Channel Bayport Flare and Redfish to Morgan s: scheduled for August 2016 award. GIWW Rollover to Causeway: scheduled for September 2016 award Houston Ship Channel Rosa Allen Placement Area containment dike raise: scheduled for Sept 2016 award. Texas City Main Channel: scheduled for October 2016 award Non VTS: After a briefing by David Casebeer on the status of the Bayport Deepening and Widening project, and the fact that it would now be continuing throughout all of 2016, Philip Kropf made comments that this was not happy news for boaters since this project, and its dredge pipelines, are in an area of the bay heavily traversed by recreational boaters! As he reported at the previous Dredging Meeting, he had just prior to that meeting been in touch with David Hampp, Harbormaster at Houston Yacht Club, who had mentioned to him that things did not seem to be going so well between HYC boats and dredging activities. Some HYC sailboats had apparently made contact with dredge pipelines and Mr. Hampp was now recommending that HYC boaters avoid the area entirely and use the HSC to navigate from the upper bay to the mid-bay area. Philip had not had a chance to talk to Mr. Hampp again prior to this current meeting but he will do so this week and update David Casebeer as to his findings. Philip also mentioned that he might be out on the water this coming weekend in this area and that he would take a close look at things for himself. Philip also commented that, in the absence of a report at this meeting from Tricia Campbell, that the other dredging project that is going to have an impact on recreational boaters in 2016 is the Houston Ship Channel Bayport Flare and Redfish to Morgan s (last scheduled for a August 2016 award), and that he would be talking to her as these projects got closer to starting. Since the USCG Safety Alert on Dredging Equipment Hazards was on the meeting agenda, Philip noted that he has already distributed this alert to members of his boating group, and is now reminded that he needs to distribute it to other boating groups also.

6 Finally, Philip, as a member of Texas Mariners Cruising Association (TMCA), arguably the most active recreational boater group on the Texas gulf coast, mentioned that the group is always looking for interesting speakers for its monthly meetings. Due to his involvement with the AMSC and the Lone Star HSC, he has been able over the past couple of years to find people working in the maritime community who were willing, and actually interested in, talking to recreational boaters on a variety of topics! And so he extended an invitation to anyone who might like to do this. If you are interested please contact him at: pkropf@flash.net.

Inspections and Compliance Directorate December 30, 2015 Safety Alert 14-15 Washington, DC DON T FEAR, STEER CLEAR of dredging equipment hazards This safety alert reminds recreational boaters and

There have been too many instances where outboard motor propelled vessels have allided with a dredge pipe causing the motor to recoil into the boat and strike the occupants or eject them from the

HAZZARD EXAMPLLE: : NEARLLY INDII ISCERNABLLE FFLLOATTI ING DREDGE PIPE SEGMENTT This alert also reminds commercial entities performing dredging in waterways to make sure all components of pipelines

10 Inspections and Compliance Directorate December 30, 2015 Safety Alert Washington, DC DON T FEAR, STEER CLEAR of dredging equipment hazards This safety alert reminds recreational boaters and commercial vessel operators to use caution when operating their vessels near areas where dredging operations may be taking place. There have been too many instances where outboard motor propelled vessels have allided with a dredge pipe causing the motor to recoil into the boat and strike the occupants or eject them from the vessel. Operators should always be on the lookout for floating debris and unmarked hazards and operate at a speed that allows them to see and avoid the hazards. HAZZARD EXAMPLLE: : NEARLLY INDII ISCERNABLLE FFLLOATTI ING DREDGE PIPE SEGMENTT This alert also reminds commercial entities performing dredging in waterways to make sure all components of pipelines are properly marked and accounted for regardless of the recreational boating season and locations where dredging is taking place. Displaying proper lights and shapes in accordance with the Navigation Rules is a federal requirement applicable to all inland waters and the U.S. side of the Great Lakes. Some dredge pipes are made of high density polyethylene. Although they are buoyant and float, they do so in a mostly-submerged manner. HAZZARD EXAMPLLE: : PARTTI IALLLLY VISIBLLE PIPELLI INE FFLLOATT Unmarked or improperly marked segments of dredge piping strings and equipment, un-retrieved piping near busy waterways, and unmarked piping in congested boating areas contribute to motorboat and sailboat allisions. The result is extensive damage to hulls, shafting, rudders and keels. The damage often sinks the involved vessel and causes passenger injuries and deaths. 1

The Coast Guard strongly recommends recreational boaters, commercial vessel operators, boat repair facilities and others to immediately report issues associated with improperly marked or unmarked

11 The Coast Guard strongly recommends recreational boaters, commercial vessel operators, boat repair facilities and others to immediately report issues associated with improperly marked or unmarked dredging components to the nearest Coast Guard unit. All waterway users should operate at a safe speed when the potential for hazards such as dredging components are present. Safety Alert PIPELLI INE FFLLOATTS CHAINED TTO SUBMERGED PIPELLI INE WITTH HIGHLLY VISIBLLE HAZZARD INFFORMATTI I ION BUOYS The Coast Guard also reminds those persons and organizations associated with dredging and other commercial activities that cause or create navigation hazards to follow the requirements of the Navigation Rules, specifically Title 33, Chapter I, Subchapter E, Part 83, Subpart C, (Rule 27). Failure to follow these regulations may result in federal fines or penalties in addition to any civil lawsuits that may be filed. PIPELLI INE FFLLOATT This Safety Alert is provided for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or international safety, operational, or material requirement. This bulletin was developed by the Coast Guard Headquarters Offices of Navigation Systems, Auxiliary and Boating Safety, and Investigations and Casualty Analysis. For questions or concerns, please hqs-pf-fldr-cginv@uscg.mil. 2

(Registration begins at 8:30 am) *Refreshments will be provided. Lunch is on your own. Houston Pilots Office 203 Deerwood Glen Dr.

12 You are cordially invited to; SEDIMENT: FLUFF VS. LIQUID MUD A SHORT SEMINAR FOR MARINE CONSTRUCTION Organized By; Chris Ransome & Associates Wednesday, March 9th 9:00 am- 11:30 am (Registration begins at 8:30 am) *Refreshments will be provided. Lunch is on your own. Houston Pilots Office 203 Deerwood Glen Dr., Deer Park, TX RSVP to Laci Theriot, ; ltheriot@crahouston.com **Professional Engineers will have personalized certificates of attendance and final agendas available at the event for continuing education credits.

FY-16 Ongoing Contracts FY-16 Scheduled Contracts

FY-16 Ongoing Contracts FY-16 Scheduled Contracts Christopher Frabotta Deputy Chief, Operations Division / Chief, Navigation Branch Southwestern Division - Galveston District 8 October 2015 Galveston District