The following is a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(BOSTON) — The Coast Guard wrapped up the two-day Buzzards Bay Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment workshop on Thursday at the Towneplace Suites Marriott in Wareham, Mass.
Participants convened in Wareham on Feb. 7-8 for a structured workshop with facilitated sessions aimed to ensure the environmental protection and safe navigation of the Buzzards Bay waterway system.
A final report stating the risks on Buzzards Bay that were identified, as well as potential risk mitigation measures will be produced and made available to the public. The report will outline results from participant discussion, comments made during the workshop, and specific recommendations as to what mitigation strategies should be implemented. The final report will be posted here once complete.
"I really appreciate all the participants' candid dialogue and time given to gather information to promote safe navigation and environmental protection of Buzzards Bay," said Capt. Richard Schultz, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England.
A longstanding and proven Coast Guard process for formal public study, a PAWSA is a joint effort involving waterway users, stakeholders, and agencies to focus on identifying major waterway safety hazards, estimating risk levels, and evaluating risk mitigation measures. The Coast Guard has sponsored and led more than 50 PAWSA studies nationwide since 1999.
The Coast Guard selected participants based on their waterway expertise and to create a broad cross-section of Buzzards Bay stakeholders.
More information about the PAWSA process and previously conducted workshops can be found here: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=pawsaMain
Participants were:
Paul DiGiovanni — Reinauer Transportation
Gary Oliveira — McAllister Towing
Michael Power — Boston Tug and Towing
Sean Bogus — Northeast Marine Pilots
Mark Foley — Canal Pilots
Charles Gifford — Steamship Authority
Pat Welch — Seastreak Ferry
Neil Churchill — Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Christopher Bryant — Bryant Brothers Shellfish
Seth Garfield — Cuttyhunk Shellfish Farm
Richard Schultz — U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England
John MacPherson — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Steven Mahohney — Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Steve McKenna — Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
Isaac Perry — Marion harbormaster
Robert Sweet — recreational boater
Phyllis Partridge — Beverly Yacht Club
Mark Rasmussen — Coalition for Buzzards Bay
Joe Costa — Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program
Elise DeCola — Nuka Research
Edward Anthes-Washburn — New Bedford Harbor Development Commission
Elizabeth Leidhold — Buzzards Bay Action Committee
Michael Gomes — Buzzards Bay Task Force
Marty McCabe — Massachusetts pilot commissioner
Steven Lehmann — NOAA scientific cupport
David Vejar — NOAA Northeast navigation
Patrick Morkis — Coast Guard cutter Ida Lewis
Tom Pham — Massachusetts Maritime Academy
