Coast Guard concludes Buzzards Bay Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment workshop

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U.S. Coast Guard 1st District Northeast
Contact: 1st District Public Affairs
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Coast Guard concludes Buzzards Bay Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment workshop

Participants of the Buzzards Bay Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment workshop meet, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, in Wareham, Massachusetts. The Coast Guard hosted the workshop to discuss risk, current mitigation, and future mitigation to promote navigational safety and environmental protection of the waterway. The Coast Guard Navigation Center’s Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) Waterway Risk Model with 24 risk categories.

Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

Boston — The Coast Guard wrapped up the two-day Buzzards Bay Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment Workshop Thursday at the Towneplace Suites Marriott in Wareham.

Participants convened in Wareham on February 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 Dept 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 Commissioneer
Steven Lehmann NOAA Scientific Support 
David Vejar NOAA Northeast Navigation
Patrick Morkis Coast Guard Cutter Ida Lewis
Tom Pham Massachusetts Maritime Academy

 

 

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