Page 17: of Marine News Magazine (July 2005)

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Legislation Signed to

Protect Great Lakes

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed legislation that will help protect the Great Lakes from the dangers of non-native aquatic invaders by requiring permits for all oceangoing ships that dock in Michigan ports. The bill- signings come at the beginning of Aquatic Invasive

Species Week in Michigan. "These new laws are the right thing to do to protect the lakes, and it makes economic sense to spend money on keeping invasive species out, rather than the much larger cost of trying to control them once they are here," added

Steven Chester, director of the Department of Environ- mental Quality (DEQ).

House Bill 4603 (Public Act 32 of 2005) and Senate

Bill 332 (Public Act 33 of 2005) mandate that all ocean- going vessels apply for a permit from the DEQ before being allowed to use Michigan ports. To qualify for the permit, ships must prove they either will not discharge ballast water or they are equipped to prevent discharge of aquatic nuisance species. Failure to comply with permit- ting requirements could result in a fine of up to $25,000 per day. The bills also require DEQ to form a coalition with our Great Lakes' neighbors to implement policies to protect the waters.

Intrepid Drops New York

Tug Races

Just as Marine News went to press, the Intrepid Sea-

Air-Space Museum disclosed that it is canceling its "tug festival" indefinitely, after a tradition of more than a dozen Labor Days. The museum cited a lack of physical resources for the event, starting with the floating dock (a barge) formerly used as the spectator reviewing stand and tie-up for participating tugs. An insider at the museum said the barge "was needed for the Concorde," the failed

European SST acquired amid much hoopla in 2003. The 2004 event, originally called the Tug Challenge, was hosted just north of the floating exhibits on a pier "half of which is now officially condemned" and under repair.

While a completion date is unknown, the work could take two years or more.

Whether the Challenge would be resumed after repairs are completed was uncertain. "We have new management and we expect new regimes" leaning away from the hard- core military of the Museum's past, "and programs are being re-evaluated. A lot of the staff really hope the tug races will be resumed. We all enjoyed them, and they brought the museum a lot of good publicity, even though it spent practically nothing to promote the event. It was regarded as Jerry Roberts' pet project, and it pretty much adopted its own life." Capt. Roberts left the Interpid sev- eral months ago and is now reportedly director of the new

National Lighthouse Museum at the former Coast Guard base in St. George, Staten Island, about half a mile west of the Navy pier at Stapleton.

Marine News has reviewed the Intrepid Tug Challenge for the past several years, along with similar meets on the

Atlantic seaboard, declaring it "the toughest and mean- est" owing to the mighty North River and, more, to the extra trials of skill built-in by Capt. Roberts. His blow- by-blow narration, mixing irony with satire as required, was one of the signatures of the event. According to unconfirmed reports at presstime, a new enterprise is under discussion for future New York Tug Races.

Boston's Tug Muster has been deferred for a second year, but 2005 won't be without its tug celebrations in the northeast. The Portland Tug Muster is expected to pro- ceed, date to be announced.

The Waterford Tug Roundup is scheduled for Sept. 9- 11, at the head of the Erie Canal.

Meanwhile, a public celebration of historic vessels, tugs and more, is scheduled for Kingston, N.Y. on August 19-20. The fireboat John J. Harvey, the newly relaunched 1906 tug Pegasus, the 1930s canaler Chancellor, and a number of other vessels old and new are expected.

Announcements are also expected regarding Capt. Steve

Trueman's North River Tugboat Museum, the Manhat- tan-based North River Historic Ship Society (see MN

June 2005) and new real-estate developments centering around the historic buildings of the former Cornell tow- ing company, for decades the largest tug operator between Albany and New York City. — Don Sutherland

Mack Boring Expands its

Service Department

Mack Boring's company headquarters in Union , N.J., has expanded its service department. Increased space, additional mechanics and a 24/7 service line allow Mack

Boring to better accommodate its new engine lines and meet the needs of customers.

By adding over 10,000 square feet, the facility allows

Mack Boring's growing team of technicians to support the new Mitsubishi lines, as well as the marine, industri- al and commercial products.

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July, 2005 • MarineNews 17

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