Coast Guard seeks public comment on ATON changes in Virginia

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The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:

(PORTSMOUTH, Va.) — The Coast Guard 5th District is seeking public input on proposed changes to aids to navigation (ATON) in Long Creek, Broad Bay and Lynnhaven Inlet due to significant shoaling and navigational safety concerns.  

The Coast Guard, working with its partners, Norfolk District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the city of Virginia Beach, is proposing to replace the current aids to navigation that are no longer accessible due to the shoaling or have exceeded their service life, with buoys that can be repositioned to continue to best mark these waterways as part of the maintenance dredging that is tentatively scheduled to be completed by the USACE in the first quarter of 2019.

The proposed changes were announced on July 3 in a local notice to mariners issued by the Coast Guard 5th District waterways management staff and can be viewed at https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm05272018.pdf. The Lynnhaven Inlet proposed changes are located on pages 19 and 20 on the local notice to mariners.

Anyone interested in providing feedback is requested to do so by using the U.S. Coast Guard 5th District waterway data sheet, available by clicking here and referencing project 05-18-062(D).

All comments will be carefully considered and are requested to be submitted prior to Aug. 13 in order to be considered in the analysis.

Comments can be sent to CGD5Waterways@uscg.mil or mailed to: 

U.S. Coast Guard 5th District, Waterways Management (dpw), 431 Crawford St., Room 100, Portsmouth, VA 23704, Attn: Albert Grimes, Chart 12222, 12254

Mariners in Virginia are encouraged to report shoaling and damaged aids to navigation to the Sector Hampton Roads Command center at (757) 668-5555.

By Professional Mariner Staff