Much of the U.S. coastline is rapidly changing--mostly eroding. That fact places increasing pressure on the planners and managers responsible for coastal development and protection, and could have a direct effect on many of the 125 million Americans living within 50 miles of the coast who rely on its resources and beaches for their livelihood or recreation. Although rapid advances have been made in the measurement systems needed to understand and describe the forces and changes at work in the surf-zone environment, their potential for allowing more accurate and reliable planning and engineering responses has not been fully realized. This book assesses coastal data needs, instrumentation, and analyses, and recommends areas in which more information or better instrumentation is needed.

Best Available and Safest Technologies for Offshore Oil and Gas Operations: Options for Implementation explores a range of options for improving the implementation of the U.S. Department of the Interior's congressional mandate to require the use of best available and safety technologies in offshore oil and gas operations. In the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Congress directs the Secretary of the Interior to regulate oil and gas operations in federal waters. The act mandates that the Secretary "shall require, on all new drilling and production operations and, wherever practicable, on existing operations, the use of the best available and safest technologies which the Secretary determines to be economically feasible, wherever failure of equipment would have a significant effect on safety, health, or the environment, except where the Secretary determines that the incremental benefits are clearly insufficient to justify the incremental costs of utilizing such technologies." This report, which was requested by Department of the Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), also reviews options and issues that BSEE is already considering to improve implementation of the best available and safest technologies requirement. Table of Contents Front Matter BEST AVAILABLE AND SAFEST TECHNOLOGIES FOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS: OPTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION Summary 1 Introduction 2 Processes for Identifying Technologies 3 Processes for Evaluating and Developing Technologies 4 Implementation Mechanisms References Appendix A: Statement of Task Appendix B: Lessons from Other Organizations for Best Available and Safest Technologies Implementation Study Committee Biographical Information

Spills of Emulsified Fuels: Risks and Response is part of an evolving body of work conducted by the National Research Council (NRC) to help inform debate and decision-making regarding the ecological consequences of releases associated with the widespread use of fossil fuels. Like earlier NRC reports, it attempts to understand the chemical, physical, and biological behavior of a complex mix of compounds that make up various petroleum hydrocarbon-based fuels. The specific risk factors presented by emulsified fuels are difficult to characterize, mainly because there have been no spills of emulsified fuels to date, and thus there is little practical experience with these products.

The future safety of maritime transportation in the United States-a major factor in the nation's international trade and economic well-being-will depend heavily on the quality of port and waterways information systems. Many U.S. ports and waterways lack adequate information services, although certain elements of advanced systems are now available in some locations. Barriers to improvements in information systems include the division of responsibilities for waterways management among multiple agencies at all levels of government, a lack of coordination among the federal agencies responsible for waterways management, inadequate budgets for some critical maritime programs, the high costs of some specialized technologies, stakeholder opposition to user fees, limited access to certain key data, the incompatibility of many independently developed systems, and the absence of standards for some attractive technologies. In this report, the second phase of a three-year study by the Committee on Maritime Advanced Information Systems of the National Research Council, a strategy is presented for overcoming the major barriers and deficiencies and providing a minimum level of maritime safety information nationwide. In this phase of the study, the committee concentrated on maritime information systems that promote safety, which is the area of greatest need. The committee did not examine in detail the relationship between navigation safety and maritime transportation efficiency or evaluate information systems that promote efficiency; the committee believes, however, that these issues deserve further attention. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Need for Improved Navigation Information Systems 2 Federal, State, and Private Roles 3 Enhancing Navigation Safety Information Systems 4 Vision of the Future and How to Achieve It 5 Conclusions and Recommendations A Biographies of Committee Members B Excerpt from the National Dialog on Vessel Traffic Services, April 1997 C Maritime Advanced Information Systems, Puget Sound Region D Maritime Information Systems, Port of Charleston, South Carolina E Arrival-to-Departure Information Exchange

Large ships transporting hazardous cargoes, notorious marine accidents, and damage to marine ecosystems from tanker spills have heightened public concern for the safe navigation of ships. This new volume offers a complete, highly readable assessment of marine navigation and piloting. It addresses the application of new technology to reduce the probability of accidents, controversies over the effectiveness of waterways management and marine pilotage, and navigational decisionmaking. The book also explores the way pilots of ships and tugs are trained, licensed, and held accountable. Minding the Helm approaches navigational safety from the perspectives of risk assessment and the integration of human, technological, and organizational systems. Air and marine traffic regulation methods are compared, including the use of vessel traffic services. With a store of current information and examples, this document will be indispensable to federal and state pilotage and licensing authorities and marine traffic regulators, the Coast Guard, pilot associations, and the shipping and towing industries. It will also interest individuals involved in waterway design, marine education, and the marine environment. Table of Contents Front Matter EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE MARINE NAVIGATION AND PILOTING SYSTEM PILOTING PRACTICES PILOTAGE ADMINISTRATION RISK, THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT, AND SAFETY MARINE TRAFFIC REGULATION NAVIGATION AND PILOTING TECHNOLOGY A HUMAN SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE ON MARINE NAVIGATION AND PILOTING RESEARCH NEEDS A VISION OF THE FUTURE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS APPENDIXES APPENDIX A: Biographies APPENDIX B: Acknowledgements APPENDIX C: Papers Prepared for this Study APPENDIX D: A Review of Studies Covering U.S. Navigable Waters APPENDIX E: Central Features of a Complete Pilotage System APPENDIX F: Pilot Training Requirements APPENDIX G: A Primer on Navigation Technologies APPENDIX H: Summary Report of European Trip GLOSSARY REFERENCES INDEX

While major oil spills are rare, oil slicks can have disastrous environmental and economic consequences. This book summarizes research on the use of chemical dispersants: their effectiveness and limitations and the results of using them in different spill situations. Based on laboratory and field research as well as on actual case histories, this book contains a clear-cut set of recommendations for action, planning, and research. Of special interest is the chapter on the biological effects of oil itself and of oil treated with chemical dispersants.

Are the nation's ports adequate for our present and future needs? This volume points out that no significant new deep-water construction has occurred for a decade, and provides the information and analysis needed to goad the ports and the federal government into action. The book asks three questions: Is additional port construction and maintenance dredging needed now or over the next 20 years? What would prevent dredging if it is needed? What alternatives could make additional dredging possible? The book identifies several problems in dredging ports, including the long interval between a decision to deepen a port and the time the alterations are complete. The United States needs to speed port construction to meet changing needs, and the committee recommends that we prepare for future needs by dredging now.

The blowout of the Macondo well on April 20, 2010, led to enormous consequences for the individuals involved in the drilling operations, and for their families. Eleven workers on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig lost their lives and 16 others were seriously injured. There were also enormous consequences for the companies involved in the drilling operations, to the Gulf of Mexico environment, and to the economy of the region and beyond. The flow continued for nearly 3 months before the well could be completely killed, during which time, nearly 5 million barrels of oil spilled into the gulf. Macondo Well-Deepwater Horizon Blowout examines the causes of the blowout and provides a series of recommendations, for both the oil and gas industry and government regulators, intended to reduce the likelihood and impact of any future losses of well control during offshore drilling. According to this report, companies involved in offshore drilling should take a "system safety" approach to anticipating and managing possible dangers at every level of operation -- from ensuring the integrity of wells to designing blowout preventers that function under all foreseeable conditions-- in order to reduce the risk of another accident as catastrophic as the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill. In addition, an enhanced regulatory approach should combine strong industry safety goals with mandatory oversight at critical points during drilling operations. Macondo Well-Deepwater Horizon Blowout discusses ultimate responsibility and accountability for well integrity and safety of offshore equipment, formal system safety education and training of personnel engaged in offshore drilling, and guidelines that should be established so that well designs incorporate protection against the various credible risks associated with the drilling and abandonment process. This book will be of interest to professionals in the oil and gas industry, government decision makers, environmental advocacy groups, and others who seek an understanding of the processes involved in order to ensure safety in undertakings of this nature.

The safety record of lightering (the transfer of petroleum cargo at sea from a large tanker to smaller ones) has been excellent in U.S. waters in recent years, as evidenced by the very low rate of spillage of oil both in absolute terms and compared with all other tanker-related accidental spills. The lightering safety record is likely to be maintained or even improved in the future as overall quality improvements in the shipping industry are implemented. Risks can be reduced even further through measures that enhance sound lightering standards and practices, support cooperative industry efforts to maintain safety, and increase the availability of essential information to shipping companies and mariners. Only continued vigilance and attention to safety initiatives can avert serious accidents involving tankers carrying large volumes of oil. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 Lightering Primer 3 Lightering Vessels, Systems, and the External Environment 4 Procedures, Practices, and Human Factors 5 Conclusions and Recommendations Acronyms Appendix A: Biographies of Committee Members Appendix B: Committee Meetings, Subgroup Meetings, and Site Visits Appendix C: U.S. Coast Guard Data on Lightering Incidents, 1984 to 1996 Appendix D: Data on East Coast Lightering Operations and Incidents Appendix E: Data on West Coast Lightering Operations and Incidents Appendix F: Letter Regarding Chevron Shipping Company's Offshore Lightering Plans Appendix G: Lightering Zone Regulations Appendix H: Safety Checklists Appendix I: Statement of Task

Over the last 100 years, sea level has risen approximately 12 centimeters and is expected to continue rising at an even faster rate. This situation has serious implications for human activity along our coasts. In this book, geological and coastal engineering experts examine recent sea level trends and project changes over the next 100 years, anticipating shoreline response to changing sea level and the consequences for coastal development and uses. Scenarios for future sea level rise and several case studies are presented.

This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

The European zebra mussel in the Great Lakes, a toxic Japanese dinoflagellate transferred to Australia?such biologically and economically harmful stowaways have made it imperative to achieve better management of ballast water in ocean-going vessels. Stemming the Tide examines the introduction of non-indigenous species through ballast water discharge. Ballast is any solid or liquid that is taken aboard ship to achieve more controlled and safer operation. This expert volume: Assesses current national and international approaches to the problem and makes recommendations for U.S. government agencies, the U.S. maritime industry, and the member states of the International Maritime Organization. Appraises technologies for controlling the transfer of organisms?biocides, filtration, heat treatment, and others?with a view toward developing the most promising methods for shipboard demonstration. Evaluates methods for monitoring the effectiveness of ballast water management in removing unwanted organisms. The book addresses the constraints inherent in ballast water management, notably shipboard ballast treatment and monitoring. Also, the committee outlines efforts to set an acceptable level of risk for species introduction using the techniques of risk analysis. Stemming the Tide will be important to all stakeholders in the issue of unwanted species introduction through ballast discharge: policymakers, port authorities, shippers, ship operators, suppliers to the maritime industry, marine biologists, marine engineers, and environmentalists. Table of Contents Front Matter EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 BALLAST WATER AND NONINDIGENOUS SPECIES 2 BALLAST WATER AND SHIPS 3 MANAGING BALLAST WATER 4 SHIPBOARD TREATMENT OPTIONS 5 MONITORING 6 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS B COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES C EXPLANATION OF BASIC STABILITY D ALTERNATIVE SHIP DESIGNS E GREAT LAKES MARITIME INDUSTRY VOLUNTARY BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CONTROL OF RUFFE IN LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS, 1993 F CANDIDATE SHIPBOARD TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION G TREATMENT OPTIONS QUERY H EMERGING MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES GLOSSARY AND CONVERSIONS INDEX

Marine debris is a serious environmental problem. To do its part, the United States has agreed to abide by the international treaty for garbage control at sea, known as MARPOL 73/78 Annex V. Clean Ships, Clean Ports, Clean Oceans explores the challenge of translating Annex V into workable laws and regulations for all kinds of ships and boats, from cruise ships to fishing crafts and recreational boats. The volume examines how existing resources can be leveraged into a comprehensive strategy for compliance, including integrated waste management systems and effective enforcement. Clean Ships, Clean Ports, Clean Oceans describes both progress toward and obstacles to Annex V compliance. The book covers: How shipborne garbage orignates and what happens to garbage discharged into the seas. Effects of discharge on human health, wildlife safety, and aesthetics. Differences in perspective among military, industrial, and recreational seafarers and shoreside facilities. Clean Ships, Clean Ports, Clean Oceans will be important to marine policymakers, port administrators, ship operations officers, maritime engineers, and marine ecologists. Table of Contents Front Matter EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FATES AND EFFECTS OF MARINE DEBRIS THE VESSEL GARBAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM EDUCATION AND TRAINING OVERARCHING ISSUES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION National Leadership Coast Guard National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Maritime Administration (MARAD) 1 Dimensions of the Challenge and U.S. Progress INTERNATIONAL AND U.S. MANDATES PROGRESS IN U.S. IMPLEMENTATION OF ANNEX V U.S. Navy Compliance State Initiatives Pilot Programs by Community and Environmental Groups Special Situations: The Gulf of Mexico THE CHALLENGES AHEAD REFERENCES 2 Sources, Fates, and Effects of Shipborne Garbage IDENTIFYING VESSEL GARBAGE IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT SOURCES OF SHIPBORNE GARBAGE Recreational Boats Commercial Fisheries Cargo Ships Small Public Vessels Offshore Industry Rigs, Platforms, and Supply Vessels Passenger Cruise Ships Research Vessels General Observations Implications for Special Areas Implications for Implementation of Annex V Human Health Problems Ecological Effects Entanglement of Marine Animals Ingestion of Plastics by Marine Species SUMMARY REFERENCES 3 Implementation HAZARD EVOLUTION MODEL Interventions to Remedy the Hazard Technological Innovations Organizational and Operational Changes Educational Communication Economic Incentives Application of the Model to the Seafarer Communities SUMMARY REFERENCES 4 Elements of an Implementation Strategy INTRODUCTION Intelligence Analysis of Interventions Intelligence Control Analysis of Interventions Intelligence Control Analysis of Interventions Intelligence Intelligence Control Intelligence Control Analysis of Interventions Control Analysis of Interventions Intelligence Analysis of Interventions Intelligence Control Analysis of Interventions REFERENCES 5 Integrating Vessel and Shoreside Garbage Management PRINCIPLES OF INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT Source Reduction On-Board Storage Shoreside Recycling Compactors Comminuters, Pulpers, and Shredders Incinerators Enhancing Shipboard Technology Development and Use GARBAGE MANAGEMENT IN PORTS Garbage Management Strategies ENHANCING THE VESSEL GARBAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Quarantine Requirements Port Accountability Liability Who Should Pay? SUMMARY REFERENCES 6 Education and Training Public Awareness Campaigns Management Education and Training EXPERIENCE BASE RELATED TO ANNEX V Marine Debris Information Offices Efforts Targeting Boaters Port Projects Efforts Involving Industry Public Awareness Programs Information Exchange A MODEL ANNEX V EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM Leadership Secure Funding SUMMARY REFERENCES THE NEED FOR LEADERSHIP U.S. ENFORCEMENT OF ANNEX V Clarify Extent of Port State Authorities Simplify Handling of Civil Cases Track and Punish Repeat Violators Monitor Garbage Handling Practices Surveillance by Ship Operators ISSUES RELATED TO SPECIAL AREAS Implementation of Annex V in the Wider Caribbean SUMMARY REFERENCES 8 Measuring Progress in Implementation of Annex V RECORD KEEPING AS A MEASURE OF IMPLEMENTATION Assessing Annex V Implementation Internationally Surveys of Beach Debris Monitoring Trends in Biological Impacts Monitoring Plastics in the Marine Environment Benthic Surveys of Plastic Debris Data Collection and Management REFERENCES 9 National Strategy IDENTIFYING AND EVALUATING STRATEGIES AND TACTICS Recreational Boats and Their Marinas Commercial Fisheries and Their Fleet Ports Cargo Ships and Their Itinerary Ports Passenger Day Boats, Ferries, and Their Terminals Small Public Vessels and Their Home Ports Offshore Platforms, Rigs, Supply Vessels, and Their Shore Bases Navy Surface Combatant Vessels and Their Home Ports Passenger Cruise Ships and Their Itinerary Ports Research Vessels and Their Ports of Call 10 Federal Action to Improve Implementation of Annex V SCIENTIFIC MONITORING VESSEL/SHORE INTERFACE ON-BOARD TECHNOLOGIES ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING NATIONAL LEADERSHIP APPENDIXES APPENDIX A Committee on Shipborne Wastes Biographical Information Regulation 1 Regulation 4 Regulation 5 Regulation 6 Regulation 7 1 Introduction and definitions 2 Training, education and information 3 Minimizing the amount of potential garbage 4 Shipboard garbage handling and storage procedures 5 Shipboard equipment for processing garbage 6 Port reception facilities for garbage 7 Ensuring compliance with Annex V Appendix Form for reporting alleged inadequacy of port reception facilities for garbage Revised Guidelines for the Implementation of Annex V of MARPOL 73/78 1 Scope 2 Definitions 3 Materials and manufacture 4 Operating requirements 5 Operating controls 7 Tests 9 Marking Minimum information to be provided A2 - Fire protection requirements for incinerators and waste stowage spaces A4 - Flue gas temperature Annex APPENDIX C The International Law of the Sea: Implications for Annex V Implementation COASTAL STATE AUTHORITIES PORT STATE CONTROL MORE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS STRENGTHENING THE FORCE OF IMO RULES APPENDIX D Time Line for U.S. Implementation of Annex V Antarctic Ocean The Baltic Sea Caribbean Sea Gulf of Mexico Persian Gulf Red Sea REFERENCES ENTANGLEMENT OF MARINE SPECIES INGESTION OF PLASTICS BY MARINE SPECIES GHOST FISHING REFERENCES Index

Contaminated marine sediments threaten ecosystems, marine resources, and human health. They can have major economic impacts when controversies over risks and costs of sediment management interfere with needs to dredge major ports. Contaminated Sediments in Ports and Waterways examines management and technology issues and provides guidance that will help officials make timely decisions and use technologies effectively. The book includes recommendations with a view toward improving decision making, developing cost-effective technologies, and promoting the successful completion of cleanup projects. The volume assesses the state of practice and research and development status of both short-term and longer-term remediation methods. The committee provides a conceptual overview for risk-based contaminated sediment management that can be used to develop plans that address complex technological, political, and legal issues and the interests of various stakeholders. The book emphasizes the need for proper assessment of conditions at sediment sites and adequate control of contamination sources. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 The Challenge 2 Making Better Decisions: A Conceptual Management Approach 3 Forces Influencing Decision Making 4 Site-Specific Considerations 5 Interim and Long-Term Technologies and Controls 6 Conclusions and Recommendations Appendix A: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members Appendix B: Regulatory Framework for the Management and Remediation of Contaminated Marine Sediments Appendix C: Case Histories of Representative Remediation Projects Appendix D: Using Cost-Benefit Analysis in the Management of Contaminated Sediments Appendix E: Using Decision Analysis in the Management of Contaminated Sediments Index