Two ferry workers sue, say work ruined their hearing - Seattlepi.com

By VANESSA HO
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Two longtime ferry workers have sued the state, alleging they were exposed to unsafe noise levels that led to hearing loss while working in the engine rooms of different vessels.

George Greenwood, a chief engineer currently assigned to the Hyak, and Christopher Johnson, a relief chief engineer assigned to different ferries, have measurable hearing damage after working for Washington State Ferries for more than a decade, said their attorney, Rob Williamson.

Williamson said the lawsuits, filed last month in King County Superior Court, are part of a larger pattern of complaints alleging work-related hearing damage among ferry workers. He said he has filed 180 such lawsuits since 1998 against the state Department of Transportation, which runs the ferries.

While the state has improved its protection of workers' hearing, it hasn't been enough to protect everyone, Williamson said.

"Even when you do all that you can, this is such a noisy environment that people can get hurt," he said.

The workers most at risk are the engineers and oilers who work in the control and engine rooms. Williamson said the state begin mandating hearing exams for the workers several years ago, as a way to track hearing damage.

He said officials have improved the type of protection for workers -- ear plugs and muffs -- and now require them to wear the protection in certain places. He also said the agency has installed quieter engines on newer vessels and retrofitted older ones with sound-proofing insulation, engine shields and vestibules.

The agency's policy also requires it to regularly monitor noise levels for safety.

Despite those improvements, Williamson said it's "inevitable" that some people will suffer hearing loss. He also said workers say some boats are louder than others, including the Hyak, a mid-sized ferry that is using engines from the Spokane, a jumbo jerry.

"They were screaming loud," he said.

Marta Coursey, a spokeswoman for the ferry system, said the agency has a comprehensive hearing-conservation program that employees are required to follow.

"Employees have a clear role in observing safety rules and regulations in order to maintain their health and hearing," Coursey said in an e-mail.

"(Washington State Ferries) upholds the highest standards of safety for our employees as well as our customers, and we have a longstanding history of ensuring that our engine room employees safeguard their health including their hearing," she wrote.

Williamson said studies that look at noise levels and worker safety usually study thresholds for an eight-hour period. He said those studies shouldn't be applied to ferry workers, because they work 12-hour shifts.

He also said lab settings differ from real work environments, because they don't account for individual use, such as someone wearing glasses, or getting jostled on a boat.

"I'm personally not satisfied that we scientifically really know what's safe," he said.

He said most of his 180 complaints against the state were filed in the late 1990s or early 2000s, which he said is a sign that conditions have improved in recent years. He said the state mostly settled those cases, paying a total of $3 to $4 million to injured workers.

Vanessa Ho can be reached at 206-448-8003 or vanessaho@seattlepi.com.

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Ferries Meetings Start With Forum in Bremerton

By Kitsap Sun staff
Thursday, May 28, 2009

Washington State Ferries will hold a series of meetings in ferry communities during the first two weeks of June. Bremerton is the first stop, on Monday.

WSF officials will recap the legislative session and discuss their long-range plan, including the building of new boats. They'll talk about a reservations study and clarify the tariff process. There will also be opportunities for the public to ask questions and make comments.

Legislators froze fares the past couple years, through September, while they tackled how to pay for the ferry system. In mid-July, WSF will suggest a 2.5 percent rate increase to take effect in October, following the direction of the Legislature and governor. The state Transportation Commission will make the final proposal and hold public meetings on it.

"I am looking forward to discussing what came out of the legislative session," said David Moseley, assistant transportation secretary for WSF. "There many important tasks ahead of WSF, and the communities are critical to the future of the ferry system."

The local meetings will be:

Monday: Bremerton, Kitsap Conference Center, 100 Washington Ave., 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

June 8: Southworth, Sedgwick Junior High, 8995 SE Sedgwick Road, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

June 9: Bainbridge Island, Commons, 402 Brien Drive, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

June 10: Kingston, Community Center, 11212 Highway 104, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

June 15: Port Townsend, Pope Marine Building, 100 Madison St., 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

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Ultra-Low Wake Ferry Gets Green Light

All American Marine, Inc. and Teknicraft Design, Ltd. have successfully made a proposal to Kitsap Transit to bring a new passenger ferry to Rich Passage. On Tuesday, April 21st, the commissioners of Kitsap Transit unanimously approved $5.3m for the purchase of a 77 ft ultra-low wake Teknicraft catamaran and on May 18th, All American Marine received the signed notice-to-proceed. The high speed passenger catamaran will carry 118 passengers and operate between Bremerton and Seattle, Washington at speeds of 29 to 38 knots.

The new vessel technology is the culmination of efforts having taken place over the past five years and the stakeholders involved span the globe. Kitsap Transit has been searching for an economically feasible solution to bring fast and environmentally safe passenger only ferry service back to the Kitsap Peninsula since Washington State Ferries was forced to terminate their service in 2003. Through a series of federally funded wake wash studies, it became evident that the wake signature of a hydrofoil-assisted Teknicraft Design catamaran produced the least amount of wake wash energy within its tested vessel class.

Kitsap Transit contracted with Pacific International Engineering of Edmonds, WA to spearhead the ongoing research efforts in conjunction with All American Marine and Teknicraft Design to further enhance and optimize the vessel’s design. Teknicraft Design principal naval architect, Nic de Waal, of Auckland, New Zealand worked with hydrodynamicists from the University of Iowa’s IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering Research Center as well as naval architects from INSEAN in Rome, Italy to model an ultra-low wake hull. Coastal specialists from Golder Associates of Redmond, WA also evaluated the proposed vessel’s performance in terms of wake generation and resistance. The vessel optimization study utilized Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques to help refine the shape of the hull and hydrofoil to produce lower wake heights with less wake energy.

“Our hydrofoil supported hull has been developed and refined over the last decade to become a leader in catamaran technology,” stated de Waal. “With the additional benefit of sophisticated and intensive CFD modeling over recent periods, we now have one of the most advanced and environmentally friendly hulls in terms of the combination of low wake, high speed, and low fuel consumption.”

Beginning in June, AAM will construct the passenger ferry by combining an aluminum catamaran hull with a light weight composite cabin. Using composites will be a first for the company which has been building aluminum vessels for over 20 years. The latest composite technology will be used to create high strength structures at a lower weight than that of an aluminum equivalent. Composites also possess superior sound and insulation properties. AAM will outsource all composite components initially. In conjunction with Bellingham’s Marine Innovation Zone program, AAM and Western Washington University will create the vessel’s adjustable hydrofoil system using composites. JBE in Anacortes, Washington will provide composite panels to be bonded together to form the passenger cabin and pilot house.

All American Marine will fabricate the Teknicraft Design aluminum catamaran hull using 5383 Sealium aluminum alloy. Welded 5383 alloys are nearly 20% stronger than conventional marine grade aluminum with similar plate thickness. Using stronger aluminum will require less material to be used, thereby decreasing overall weight. Minimizing weight is a critical factor for controlling wake wash height and energy. The copyrighted hull design’s premise is to create lift for the vessel by means of the hull shape and hydrofoil working together to displace nearly one-half of the vessel’s weight. The net result is reduced resistance, reduced fuel consumption, reduced wake, and increased speed.

The vessel’s purchase price is reflective of the state-of-the-art onboard technology, which will pay dividends in terms of providing an eco-friendly ferry service. Most noticeably, the hydrofoil system and wake mitigating interceptors will be adjustable and controlled by GPS, automatically making adjustments so the vessel will produce the lowest wake energy in the most sensitive coastal areas. The adjustable hydrofoil can also be manipulated intentionally to make minor adjustments to optimize speed without increasing engine rpm or fuel consumption. The adjustable foil is highly beneficial for commuter ferry applications where the passenger load may be heavier in one direction than the other.

Golder Associates will supply a specialized monitoring system for the hull and hydrofoil, providing detailed performance data for continued research purposes. Additional green features are included in the vessel’s propulsion system consisting of four Caterpillar C18 ACERT engines, which will be fit with specialized CleanAIR Permit filters to reduce harmful emissions by up to 99%. Noise pollution will be mitigated with acoustic foam insulation and composite sandwich decking material. The cabin interior will be finished with recyclable aluminum honeycomb wall panels and recyclable aluminum ceiling panels with acoustic insulation. The finished vessel will be coated with a low VOC paint system. Other amenities include ADA-friendly heads, comfortable Beurteaux seating, and bicycle storage racks to encourage as many commuters as possible.

The new passenger ferry is scheduled to be completed and delivered by March 2010. Funding for the vessel construction, research, and initial demonstration run was in part secured through several federal grants and appropriations. Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Norm Dicks both sponsored bills to fund the project and look forward to Washington setting a new standard for environmentally friendly passenger ferry service.

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Reported by KING-TV

WA State Ferries inspires new 'ferry tales'

05:58 PM PDT on Wednesday, May 27, 2009

By ROB PIERCY / KING 5 News


Video: Pamphlet paints grim ferry tales
Larger screenE-mail this clip

OLYMPIA, Wash. - The fairy tales written by the Grimm Brothers some 200 years ago have been read by millions of people all over the world.

Tales such as "Little Red Riding Hood," "Rapunzel" and "Hansel and Gretel" have been told and retold for generations.

Now there's a new story: "Grim Ferry Tales." It's a publication by a group called the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a non-partisan political think-tank based in 

Olympia.

"Grim Ferry Tales" is a slick, well produced pamphlet chronicling the history of Washington State Ferries. The pages are full of scathing criticisms of how the state ferry system is run.

One page reads: "Ferry Tales: A tragicomedy about failure, folly, and foolishness at Washington State Ferries."

Volunteers have been handing out the pamphlets to passengers waiting in line at ferry docks.

Scott St. Clair, who did the research that went into "Grim Ferry Tales," says the goal is pull back the curtain and give people a glimpse of how their tax dollars are being used and misused at W.S.F.

"We wanted to take a look at some of the issues inside the ferry system," he said.

The pamphlet hammers WSF for letting unions control what hours ferries and the ferry repair shop operate.

It also goes after the ferry system for not building the boats that were promised after a gas tax hike six years ago.


For ferry passengers, the "ferry tales" are an interesting read.

"There are a lot of things nowadays that frustrate you as far as tax dollars are concerned," said Gary Fisher.

Scott St. Clair says it doesn't have to be that way, but it will take a serious change in culture at Washington State Ferries.

Washington State Ferries has not returned phone calls asking for comment.

KING File Image

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Via Everett Herald

Washington state way off its target for biofuel

By Jerry Cornfield
Herald Writer

OLYMPIA -- The state isn't going to reach its goal next month of making biodiesel a significant portion of the fuel pumped into its fleet of cars, trucks and ferries.

No state agency will be complying with a June 1 requirement for biodiesel to make up at least 20 percent of its fuel use

Collectively, use of biofuel by departments from transportation to corrections to the Washington State Patrol reached just 2.1 percent at the end of 2008 -- which is the best combined showing since the target was written into law three years ago.

Gov. Chris Gregoire, who could have pushed back the deadline and didn't, said members of her staff will meet with department leaders next month to figure out how to accelerate the process.

"I don't want to lose the momentum that we've built up," Gregoire said. "We're going to get there but it's going to take more time than what was originally projected

Switching the state's fuel diet will curb emission of air pollutants scientists consider unhealthy for residents and an instigator of damaging climate changes.

It also carries a potential economic payoff by stimulating a new statewide industry for turning renewable resources such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled cooking oils into diesel fuel for the state's fleet of cars, trucks and ferries.

In January 2005, Gary Locke, in one of his last acts as governor, set a goal for state agencies to be using at least 20 percent biofuel by Sept. 1, 2009.

A 2006 law signed by Gregoire put a tighter timeline into law. It required using a blend of not less than 2 percent beginning June 1, 2006 and reaching a 20 percent blend -- or 20 percent of total fuel use -- by June 1 of this year.

The law, which contained no penalties for noncompliance, mandates the Department of General Administration report on the government's biofuel usage.

Its latest report shows in the second half of 2008, the state burned 10.2 million gallons of fuel of which 211,500 gallons, or 2.07 percent, was biofuel.

Removing ferries, which account for the vast majority of the usage, improves the performance though state government remains far from compliance.

Agencies and institutions of higher education used 1.5 million gallons of diesel, of which 73,392 gallons, or 4.8 percent, was biofuel. That's up from 3.9 percent in the first half of 2008.

High pump prices and limited supplies proved the biggest hurdles, the study found.

On average, a blend of 20 percent biofuel with 80 percent petroleum-based diesel costs 33 cents a gallon more than regular diesel -- a margin that was a disincentive for cash-strapped agencies to pay.

Availability proved another confounding factor with limited suppliers in Eastern Washington and irregular supplies on the west side of the state, the report found.

Lawmakers and the governor acknowledged these challenges but said if it is clear the state will be a longtime buyer, then industry will ramp up production, confident its product will get sold.

"We've got to figure a way to get the price down and the only way to get the price down is to get the demand up," said Rep. John McCoy, D-Tulalip.

Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond said farmers have told her they don't want to plant crops used in making biofuel if the state is going to be buying less.

"They're watching very closely," she said. "For the market to adjust you have to say we're going to do this. Everybody is trying to make this work because it is a good goal. It's achievable."

Frustrating farmers, some lawmakers and the governor was the Legislature's decision to grant a two-year exemption to Washington State Ferries, the single largest consumer of fuel at roughly 17 million gallons a year.

Haugen tucked the provision into the final transportation budget in a way it could not be removed by legislators or vetoed by the governor. She has said compliance would have cost an extra $8 million in the next two years, money better spent on road projects.

Sen. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, was among a number of Democratic and Republican senators opposed to the move.

"We needed the state to fulfill its commitment. We've had plenty of time to get ready for this," she said. "It's pulling the rug out from underneath all the citizens who invested in the promise of a biodiesel market."

Gregoire didn't like exempting ferries, either.

"I know (legislators) wanted to save some money," she said. "We need to be the stable force for this to be able to develop into a profitable enterprise. If we abandon it in the tough times, we'll never get to it in the affordable times."

Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com.

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From the Whidbey Examiner

New holding lanes at Mukilteo ferry terminal

Washington State Ferries has opened 12 new holding lanes (approximately 100 additional car spaces) adjacent to the existing lanes at the Mukilteo ferry terminal, bringing the total vehicle holding spaces to 200. The new lanes should reduce backups on SR 525 during peak commute periods by approximately a half-mile, ferries officials said..

Construction totaled $781,800 and is almost complete, with the exception of relocating a generator and installing lighting. Until the remaining work is complete at the end of May, there will be approximately 190 spaces available that can be used during daylight hours only.

For more ferry system information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. To sign up for free e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, click on the link in the far left column of the Web site.

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Tight economy keeps sale of old ferries in limbo

By Larry Lange
PostGlobe transportation reporter

Having trouble selling your house in this lousy economy?

Try selling four 82-year-old state ferries that you’ve decided you don’t need any more.

One of the two offers that Washington State Ferries has received for the boats since the so-called steel-electric ferries were permanently beached has fallen through, the victim of plummeting steel prices that don’t make scrapping them worthwhile.

Another problem: Where do you park an old ferry?

The four ferries – the Illahee, Klickitat, Nisqually and Quinault – were beached in late 2007 after inspections showed extensive corrosion in their hulls and the state concluded they were no longer worth repairing.

One option was to scrap them, but “the economy dropped so quickly, and steel prices dropped that much quicker,” said G. Dennis Vaughan, managing partner of Environmental Recycling Systems, which backed out of an attempt it made to buy the vessels and sell the metal. “Everybody just stopped buying scrap steel.”

ERS said last fall that it would buy the four ferries for $500,000, intending to tow them to Mexico and scrap them. Vaughan said that’s no longer feasible because of the 80 percent drop in scrap-steel prices.

Vaughan said there’s a “slim chance” his company might try again to buy the old boats if steel prices go up enough. But not at the moment.

The other possible sale – for floating developments of some kind – also has foundered because the real estate firm that wanted them for that purpose hasn’t yet found a place to moore the 1927-vintage boats, which are each 256 feet long and 73 feet wide.

Managing Green, a Tacoma real estate development firm, has moorage brokers trying to locate tie-up space for the old ferries, ferry system spokeswoman Marta Coursey said. The firm has told the ferry system it wants to convert the old vessels into usable business space.

Washington State Ferries “continues to work with potential buyers and moorage brokers to negotiate a contract,” said Coursey, who added that the state is still talking with ERS about a possible sale. She said the state is not searching for other buyers and isn’t advertising them again.

“We’re not saying any more that (a sale) will be immiment,” she said, chuckling. “There’s just not a lot of interest out there. It still costs a lot of money to move them, and then you’ve got to make them operational. It’s not an easy endeavor, but I can assure you everybody’s still working on it.”

The ferry system hoped to sell the four vessels for $350,000 apiece but couldn’t get any bids at that price. Managing Green offered $650,000 and put down a $30,000 deposit. ERS bid $500,000 plus a percentage of the revenue from scrapping them, but ERS didn’t put down a deposit. Neither company has signed a purchase agreement that obligates the buyer to move the boats, which are currently docked at the ferry system’s Eagle Harbor maintenance facility on Bainbridge Island. So with the ferry system searching for more cash, it’s finding that selling old boats is by no means a sure-fire way to do it.

The four boats were bulit in the late 1920s for the Southern Pacific Railroad for service in the San Francisco Bay Area. They were moved to Puget Sound in the early 1940s after the bay highway bridge made them obsolete. Coursey said the boats incur "minimal" costs for insurance and the electricity to run their fire and flooding alarm systems while at the maintenance facility.

The ferry system may have to pay the holders of depreciation rights on the Klickitat about $21,000 as of the end of this month if that boat is sold. Depreciation rights were purchased during the 1980s and early 1990s by private companies that invested money in the ferries and received tax writeoffs in exchange. The depreciation rights on the other three ferries have been transferred to the Kittitas, a ferry built in the 1980s; Coursey said that move will allow the state to avoid having to pay the holders of those rights about $3 million if the Illahee, Nisqually and Quinault are sold. She said the ferry system was unable to transfer the depreciation right on the Klickitat to any other ferry because of qualification requirements.

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Washington State Transportation Commission

Posted 5.19.09

Transportation Commission Office - PO Box 47308 - Olympia, WA 98504-7308
(360) 705-7070

Date: May 15, 2009

Contact:
Reema Griffith, Transportation Commission Executive Director, 360-705-7070

OLYMPIA – Tolling studies and policies will be among the topics of discussion when the Washington State Transportation Commission meets next week in Olympia. The Commission will also consider a request to name two highways in Clark County. In addition, Commissioners will consider the legislative budget for Washington State Ferries and begin discussions about ferry fares.

The meeting will be held Wednesday, May 20, at the Transportation Building, 310 Maple Park Avenue SE in Olympia, starting at 9 a.m. and will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 21. The meeting is open to the public and people wishing to address the Commission may do so during the public comment period scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Secretary Paula Hammond will provide an overview of recent tolling studies as part of her report to the Commission. Tolling is being considered as a possible new transportation revenue source to finance major highway construction projects that exceed available funding. Secretary Hammond will present a high-clip schedule for tolling and financing of potential toll projects, including the I-5 Columbia River Crossing, I-405 Express Toll lanes, SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel, SR 509 at SeaTac, and the SR 167 extension in Pierce County.

The State Treasurer will discuss with the Commission needed policy that should be put in place to support the financing structure for future tolling facilities. Formal tolling policies are necessary when projects are largely financed with bonds to be paid for with anticipated toll revenues. The Commission is the state tolling authority and sets tolls for state highways and bridges and fares for Washington State Ferries.

Also on Wednesday, the Commission will consider a request (Senate Joint Memorial 8006) for the naming of SR 502 as the “Battle Ground Highway” and a portion of SR 503 as the “Lewisville Highway.” SR 502 provides a connection from I-5 to Battle Ground. The portion of SR 503 being considered is from SR 500 at Orchards to SR 502 Battle Ground and north to Amboy.

On Thursday, legislative staff will give an overview of the budget that was passed by the legislature for WSDOT’s Ferries Division (WSF). Commissioners will consider this information as they begin conversations with Ferry Advisory Committee members regarding ferry fare adjustments and public involvement planned for later this year.

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Major Constitutional Decision Affecting the Transportation Industry

On Friday, May 15th, the D.C. Court of Appeals decided a case that is styled BNSF Railway Company v. United States Department of Transportation, which determined important privacy rights for aviation, rail, motor carrier, mass transit, maritime and pipeline industries’ workers.

The Department of Transportation requires that workers who violate drug testing policies must successfully complete a drug treatment program and pass a follow up urine analysis before returning to safety-sensitive work.

At issue in this case is whether the Department of Transportation can utilize a direct observation technique of watching the urine specimen leave the examinee’s body in administering the initial and subsequent follow up drug tests.

One of the interesting factual determiners in this case was the advent of devices marketed to falsify the results of random drug tests. The “wizzinator,” a device the Court particularly highlighted, was designed to closely resemble the male genitalia and to dispense either an artificial urine sample or a previously collected clean urine sample. The Department argued that such devices necessitate the direct observation of urine sample collections.

Indeed, the Court sided with the Department in outweighing the worker’s right to privacy by comparison to the Department’s goal of creating a drug-free transportation workplace.

From a Constitutional Law perspective, this decision is a radical departure from the Fourth Amendment “search” law precedent because it sanctions a strip search of a U.S. Citizen in the United States who submits a urine sample. The opinion, though, leaves the reader wondering if foregoing essential privacy, especially in the context of genitalia exposure, should be required of a transportation worker, even though the industry is highly regulated.

When juxtaposed to the need to have a drug free workplace in the area of public transportation, the final decision was foreseeable, but clearly it is highly intrusive.

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mapleridgenews.com ( British Columbia )

Albion Ferry vessels headed for Washington?


By Phil Melnychuk - Maple Ridge News



The fate of the Albion ferries is still unknown because the two vessels remain unsold and on the market.

TransLink is selling the ships, the MV Kulleet and Klatawa for $1.1 million each and had them on Craig’s List in preparation for the shutdown of the service, July 31.

According to Dave Miller, president of Fraser River Marine, a TransLink division which operates the ferries, both Washington State Ferries and Whatcom county, near Bellingham, Wa., are interested.

He said TransLink’s broker is trying to find a way to around legislation that requires the use of U.S.-made ships and expects to hear back next week.

“Those ships are in excellent shape. That’s why they’re having a good long look at them,” Miller said.

But a Whatcom county spokesman says the municipality doesn’t have the money and isn’t looking to buy. Washington State Ferries says the ships are too small for their needs as well.

Meanwhile, the future of the Albion ferry docks, on both the south and north side of the Fraser River, is becoming more certain.

TransLink is talking with the Kwantlen First Nation in Langley about taking over the docks on the south side. And West Coast Express is interested in the Albion ferry property in Maple Ridge, likely for a site of the Albion station.

Miller said depending on an environmental study, for which TransLink will pay, the docks could be removed, the riverfront restored and the property offered to Maple Ridge. He said TransLink will soon approach the district on that.

But Miller said he’s received no communication from the municipality.

“I haven’t heard anything from the district.”

Coun. Cheryl Ashlie earlier had said she wanted waterfront access to the river maintained when the ferry stops but council didn’t follow up with a decision.

If West Coast Express decides it doesn’t want the site, the waterfront property will be put up for sale.

Efforts also are continuing to find employment for the 56 Albion ferry employees. Ten though will be retiring and 11 have found work with SeaBus in North Vancouver.

Two employees also are relocating to B.C.’s inland ferry service in Revelstoke and another is going to eastern Canada.

Others are interested in other careers. TransLink hosted job fairs with B.C. Corrections and B.C. Ferries and will host more, he said.

“We’re working as hard as we possibly can. We want to make sure as many people land on their feet.”

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From Marinelink.com

U.S. Ferry Systems Investment Act Introduced
Monday, May 11, 2009, 8:05 AM

On April 29, 2009, members of Congress introduced the United States Ferry Systems Investment Act of 2009, proposing a significant expansion of federal attention to ferry transportation. S. 930 is sponsored by Senator Patti Murray of Washington and cosponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. In the House of Representatives, H.R. 2172 is sponsored by Representative Rick Larsen of Washington.

The legislation features a big increase in funding for the existing Federal Ferry Boat Discretionary Grant Program. This program provides competitive federal grants for up to 80 percent of the capital expenditures for ferry vessels, terminals and other shoreside infrastructure, and maintenance facilities. To be eligible, a ferry must be publicly owned or operated. Eligibility also exists if the ferry is majority publicly owned and is determined to provide substantial public benefits. For fiscal 2009, the grant program was authorized at $67m per year, with $20m of that sum reserved for systems in the states of Washington, Alaska, and New Jersey.

Under the proposed legislation, annual funding for the ferry grants program would be set at $200m annually. In addition, the bill would change how the funds are to be distributed. The money would be divided into two pots of $100m each. The first pot would be distributed according to a weighted formula. The formula factors would be: 50 percent based on total annual number of passengers carried by a ferry system; 25 percent based on total number of vehicles carried by a ferry system; and 25 percent based on total route miles serviced by a ferry system.

The second pot of $100m will be distributed competitively by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. The bill mandates the establishment of a Ferry Joint Program Office within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Its purposes would be to promote ferry transportation within the U.S. and to coordinate federal ferry programs. Also, Clean Fuels Grants could be used for ferries. A National Ferry Institute will be created at a U.S. college. The existing National Ferry Database will be maintained.

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Stupid Ship Captain

Hood Canal bridge closure overwhelms ferries

SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Customer calls have overwhelmed Washington State Ferries since the state closed the Hood Canal Bridge on May 1 for repairs.

The ferry system added customer service staff in preparation for the closure, but is still taking an unusually long time to get to customer calls because of an "unprecedented volume of calls" and more time needed on many calls to resolve travel issues, according to a news release from the state Department of Transportation.

"We are very concerned that the volume of calls we are receiving to our customer service lines is frustrating our customers, despite our best efforts," David Moseley, assistant secretary for Washington State Ferries, said in the release. He recommended customers use the ferries Web site.

The news release also reminded customers that they must know if their vehicle is more or less than 20 feet long and 7 feet, 6 inches tall, the number of passengers, and the driver's name, e-mail address, and phone number. It noted that vehicle reservations on many sailings are filling up far in advance and those that show as full online do not have space available by phone, although drivers can arrive at the terminal early to see if they can make it on as standby passengers.

Vehicle reservations for the Port Townsend-Edmonds evening sailings are not available online. Customers can make Port Townsend-Keystone vehicle reservations online or at visitor centers in Port Townsend and Coupeville.

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Department of Homeland Security

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG–2009–0325]
Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory
Committee; Vacancies
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Request for applications.
SUMMARY: The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC). This Committee advises the Coast Guard on matters related to the training, qualification,licensing, certification, and fitness of seamen serving in the U.S. merchant marine.

DATES: Completed application forms should reach us on or before July 15, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may request an application form by writing to Mr. Mark Gould, Assistant to the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for MERPAC, at Commandant (CG–5221), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street, SW., Washington, DC 20593–0001. 

Please submit applications to the same address. Also, a copy of the application form, as well as this notice, is available in our
online docket, USCG–2009–0325, at http://www.regulations.gov. Send your completed application, along with a personal resume, to the Assistant DFO at the street address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Mr. Mark Gould, Assistant to DFO of
MERPAC; telephone 202–372–1409 or email
mark.c.gould@uscg.mil.

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Pilot program for Reliefs

To All, Please forward to all MM&P members by e-mail or word of mouth the following info.

At our meeting today with WSF concerning the Dispatch by Seniority Pilot Program,

Jerry Holder-OFM LRO and Steve Rodgers-Director of Operations WSF, informed the MM&P Union that WSF’s, put the Union on notice that it was ending the “Pilot Program-Dispatch by Seniority” effective May 14, 2009 due to the additional cost of Travel Time ( $130,000 a year). You can inform members that we are not going to accept this decision by WSF and intend to fight and keep the “Pilot Program-Dispatch by Seniority”.

The group Richard, Teresa and David did a great job today and we intend to continue the fight for this Pilot Program.

Thanks

Captain Tim Saffle

From the Vashon Island Beachcomber

Future of ferries is in the hands of riders

By KARI ULATOSKI

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Contributor

May 05 2009, 1:29 PM · UPDATED

A significant grassroots effort, spearheaded by Vashon and other ferry-served communities, culminated last week.

The Legislature passed the transportation budget, and we have reasons to be cautiously optimistic. Victories included the death of Plan B, which would have created hardships for many of the busiest and most ferry-dependent communities, and construction of three 64-car ferries for use on the Port Townsend/Kingston and Point Defiance/Tahlequah runs. They also included moving up scheduled construction of a desperately needed 144-car boat to 2013, recommendation of an annual 2.5 percent rate increase and focusing state funds on ferry construction instead of terminals.

Overall, it seems these are good, solid first steps to beginning to rebuild a ferry fleet that has had limited attention and virtually no funding for nine years. It indicates some commitment from the Legislature, particularly the House, and understanding of our reliance on ferries for a variety of essential services and our future prosperity. However, critical issues remain unresolved, and ferry communities could still be impacted by issues hiding in the not-so-small print of the budget bill.

There still is no stable, long-term statewide funding for Washington State Ferries. The 144-car vessels, initially promised in 2003, may still never be built if there is no funding. The Senate, committed to building three 64-car vessels and a 144-car boat, inserted a provision that if there weren’t enough money for that big ferry, a fourth smaller ferry would be built instead. Reservation systems are still in the mix, and the annual fare/tax increase on ferry service will be determined by Gov. Chris Gregoire’s Transportation Commission. Given that the group is basically unchanged in its attitude toward ferries, that it recommended to the governor a 5 to 6 percent annual increase in ferry fares and that it supports the reservation system, it is pretty clear its members have little understanding of the economic impacts ferry-served communities face and won’t provide much support. Fuel surcharges will still be charged without any apparent budgeting of expenses on an annual basis, and summer rates will continue to be in effect, directly affecting the pocketbooks of frequent users.

Because our ferry system is the largest in the United States, testimony by Washington State Ferries and the support of their cause by Sen. Patty Murray has resulted in a bill calling for a dramatic increase in federal funding. Ironically, because our state passed a “Made in Washington” mandate, those funds can’t be used to build vessels. Terminals can be built, repairs can be made to older hulls, but vessels needed to reinforce our aging fleet are not an option. Whether using federal money for the Mukilteo and other terminal construction projects slated in current state legislation might free up enough money for larger ferries is still a good question.

What does all this mean? It means the ferry advocacy groups, such as the Vashon ferry transportation outreach committee, the Ferry Community Partnership and Citizens for Plan C, need to speak with one voice. It means all ferry- using communities need to increase active participation, that strategies must be developed for the coming sessions, including educating ourselves and continuing to work closely with the legislators on the Ferry Coalition and WSF toward the common goal of a reliable, efficient, economic ferry fleet. It means sending an even stronger message to our governor and Legislature to ensure they fulfill their promises.

Via letter-writing campaigns, citizen lobbying and rallies, the message to Olympia must be that we are watchful of commitments made and money spent on ferries — that grassroots organizations and local and state legislators will work to ensure the ferry crisis is resolved and will never occur again.

None of the foregoing can happen without greater participation of the people affected. Instead of seven people from Vashon plus support from other communities leading the charge, we need active participation of at least three times that number to be effective. So, in the end, it is up to you and the efforts you are willing to put forth and to fight the fight.

— Kari Ulatoski chairs Vashon’s transportation committee.

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From the Whidbey Examiner

Ferries could benefit from federal money

By Justin Burnett
Examiner Staff Writer

New legislation under consideration in Congress could provide Washington State Ferries with an extra $40.7 million a year, Washington State Ferries chief David Moseley said during a telephone press conference in Washington D.C. last week.

Moseley made a special trip to the nation's capital to take part in the April 28 announcement of the Ferry Systems Investment Act proposed by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Congressman Rick Larsen.

The legislation calls for a budget increase in the federal Ferry Boat Discretionary Program from $67 million a year to $200 million a year. If the bill is approved as is, the money would be available to ferry systems nationwide for the next six years, from 2010 to 2015.

Murray and Larsen said the proposal was prompted largely by Washington state's desperate need for money to shore up its ferry system, which is a critical part of its transportation infrastructure. Both lawmakers said they recognize the important role of ferries in supporting the state's economy.

"I know how critical this mode of transportation is," Murray said.

"For thousands of my constituents, ferries offer the only way for them to get to work," Larsen said.

According to the proposal, the ferry funding would be allocated in two ways. Half the money, $100 million, would be awarded using a weighted formula that's based on ridership and total route miles.

"It's a formula based on need, essentially," Murray said.

Given WSF's financial troubles, and the fact that it is the largest ferry system in the nation, Washington could make out quite well. Moseley said the formula funds alone could tally up to $40.7 million. He said Washington State Ferries currently gets about $5 million a year from the program.

The other half of the funds would be distributed on a discretionary basis to help initiate and expand ferry service around the country. Ferry systems that need funds for specific projects may be the primary beneficiaries. However, Washington State Ferries would not be able to use any of the money to build new boats because of conflicting Washington State and federal laws.

"We've made it flexible enough to be able to use this money for other things," Murray said.

Projects such as the $26 million needed to replace the Anacortes terminal and the $30 million to build a new terminal at Mukilteo would be prime candidates for the money. The money also could be used to repair aging ferries, such as the $9 million needed to repair the Hyak, a 40-year-old Super Class ferry. The 144-car vessel, which is used on the Seattle-Bremerton route, ran into trouble earlier this year when its drive motor failed.

While the federal money may not be used to build new ferries, it may still have a positive impact on the ferry construction schedule, Moseley said. The additional federal dollars could allow WSF to shift more of its own budget to new ferries, he said.

For example, an injection of federal dollars could free up enough state money to pay for the 144-car vessel that the state Legislature recently approved for construction. During this year's legislative session, lawmakers approved the construction of four new ferries: three of the Island Home design, and one 144-car ferry, if funding is available.

"What it does do is provide us some certainty for federal dollars," Moseley said.

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Update on Capt. Lundgren Memorial Via Legacy.com

Robert E. LUNDGREN Capt. Bob flew over the horizon Thursday morning April 23. He was bn in Seattle July 12, 1926 to Capt. Oscar and Agnes Lundgren and grew to manhood on Bainbridge Island. Bob served as a pharmacist mate on the USS LaSalle in 1944-45 throughout the South Pacific and then at the Bainbridge Naval Radio Station. Bob and his lifelong First Mate "Honey" May married July 24, 1947. They raised their family in Ballard and after 1952 on Bainbridge. Bob obtained high school and boatbuilding degrees from Edison Tech. He worked for Black Ball and after 1954 Washington State Ferries on every run and vessel until retiring as fleet commodore in 1986. Bob enjoyed his grandkids, flying and big band music. He is survived by May; brother Bud Lundgren; children Doug, Stephen, Roberta, and Deb; 8 grand and 2 great grandchildren. Memorial services will be May 23, Saturday, 4:00 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church on Bainbridge with a large following wake. Memorials may be made to the Bainbridge Fire Department. Further life history and online guestbook at www.tuellmckeebremerton.com.

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Capt Lundgren memorial

Memorial service information is as follows:

Where: Bethany Lutheran Church
7968 Finch Rd NE
Bainbridge Island, WA

When: May 23, Saturday

Time: 4 PM

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Captain Jack Santi Retires

Jack Santi retired on 30 may, 2009. Keep looking at this blog for info on a retirement party. Good luck Jack . It's been a pleasure to work with you.

Mark Willmes

From Station KTUU in Alaska

Murkowski co-sponsors ferry spending bill

Sen. Lisa Murkowski wants a big boost in federal spending on ferry systems. (Courtesy Photo)

by Jason Moore
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski wants a big boost in federal spending on ferry systems.

Murkowski joined Washington Sen. Patty Murray to introduce a bill that would nearly triple ferry spending to $200 million a year.

Washington State has the largest ferry system in the country, but the Alaska Marine Highway System serves 30 communities along routes totaling more than 3,000 miles.

And Murkowski says the bill would help fund needed improvements.

"The State of Alaska has started their vessel replacement program," Murkowski said. "It's called the Alaska Class, so this funding could help us enormously with the costs of replacing an aging Alaska fleet."

Murkowski showed up at the press conference with crutches, as she is recovering from knee surgery following a skiing accident.

Contact Jason Moore at jmoore@ktuu.com

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