Harbor mud. Collecting with the ebb and flow of the tides, serious silt clogs the waterways of New York Harbor, obstructing navigation. The sediment must be dredged -- and it is, millions of cubic yards  every year. But the cost of dredging is steep, and not all maritime groups can afford it. What to do? It's an issue that agencies and marine businesses continue to wrestle with.

To educate the public about this issue, Andrew Genn, Economic Development Corporation vice president, has produced an unusual spectacle for City of Water Day: tugs of war over dredged material. What better way to understand what lies at  the bottom of our harbor than to land in it?

Look for sign-up sheets to participate in this very special tug of war. Having fun with the idea, Mr. Genn suggested "natural teams" such as the regulators vs the regulated, NY vs NJ, recreational boaters vs commercial. Donjon Marine Co. has agreed to dump a load of clean dredged material on the island, and the EDC will provide samples of processed dredge, along with interpretive signs.
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At City of Water Day, look for a jaunty 1907 tugboat named Pegasus. A tough cookie, resplendent in red, Pegasus saw activity in both World Wars and managed to survive significant technological changes, including steam to diesel propulsion and riveted to welded construction. 

In great shape at 102, the grande dame of local tugs will be taking City of Water Day visitors across Buttermilk Channel on two free tours to the Red Hook waterfront on July 18.

"This part of Brooklyn is textured with marine activity," said Pamela Hepburn, the tug's owner. "Our tour, which is called Ports and Parks, is about the combination of interests and life that goes on in our harbor."

On behalf of Hepburn Marine, Ms. Hepburn purchased the tugboat from the McAllister company in 1987 and used her for towing jobs in the harbor. In 1997 Pegasus was retired, and in 2000 the Tugboat Pegasus Preservation Project was founded.

Ms. Hepburn says the very existence of Pegasus "tells an important story about the history of the Port of New York/New Jersey" and she has several free and low-cost programs that impart the story of Pegasus and the region's maritime industry and also teach young people marine skills. "We are deeply committed," she says, "in the idea of using maritime skills as metaphor for life skills."

This summer, the Pegasus and the Waterfront Museum (located aboard the 1914 Lehigh Valley Barge #79) embarked on the Quadricentennial Tug & Barge Tour, retracing Henry Hudson's path and calling attention to the potential of the water highway for public access, education, transportation and commerce. At right, the Pegasus is docked adjacent to the Waterfront Museum.

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Six new acres of green space, reconstructed wetlands and a cove,
a new promenade and an athletic field make Long Island City residents very happy

Almost 10 years ago, part of the Queens waterfront was transformed from an industrial landscape to a breezy park with four public piers. Named for the gantries -- shipping cranes that loaded and unloaded rail cars arriving on barges at the waterfront -- which were restored and left behind as a nod to the area's commercial railroad history, Gantry Plaza State Park was a welcome four-acre respite on the Long Island City waterfront.

On July 1, the park was expanded by six acres, as state and city officials converged at the waterfront promenade to welcome visitors to the new public space. Gantry Plaza State Park is part of a planned 40-acre project to revitalize the Long Island City waterfront managed by the Queens West Development Corp. a subsidiary of the Empire State Development Corp. (ESDC).

"Major initiatives on the waterfronts are key investments for New York and as we look to rebuild and strengthen our economy we can build on the successes of projects like Queens West," said ESDC president & CEO Dennis Mullen.

The six new acres features a lawn, athletic field, reconstructed cove and wetlands, and a waterfront promenade. For upcoming concerts and events at Gantry Plaza State Park, click here.

EPA Awards $17 Million to
Reduce Diesel Emissions
Money will go toward shore power installation at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and replacing the marine engines of a Staten Island Ferry and several McAllister tugs, among other projects

On July 9, the Environmental Protection Agency announced $17 million in awards for "clean diesel projects" as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. Among the projects is $2,858,200 to install land-side electrical infrastructure at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. The EPA also gave $1,275,000 for new engines for a Staten Island ferry, and $2,800,000 for new engines for five McAllister tugs.

"Investing nearly $3 million to modernize the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is an important step toward making the operations more environmentally friendly," said Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY), whose office has been working with Red Hook residents in their fight for better air quality. "This project will help create a cleaner environment for Brooklyn waterfront neighborhoods, which residents have passionately advocated for and I supported throughout the years."

Red Hook resident Adam Armstrong, who writes a blog about his neighborhood at http://aviewfromthehook.blogspot.com/, welcomed the EPA funds but noted that more than three years has passed since the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal opened. "Meanwhile," he said, "the dense residential neighborhoods abutting the terminal have been exposed to hundreds of avoidable tons of dangerous particulates created by the burning of the ships' dirty diesel while in port. This grant surely indicates that the EPA sees the issue of port emissions as a very serious one. Thankfully, the Port Authority, as shown by their applying for these funds and the comments made by their Executive Director, Chris Ward, and Chairman, Anthony R. Coscia, is also recognizing their responsibilitiy in this matter and making moves to mitigate the pollution created by their ports' activities - at least at the Cruise Terminal. Hopefully there will be further efforts by these entities to also mitigate the pollution being created by the neighboring, soon-to-be-expanded Container Terminal on the Red Hook waterfront, not to mention the rest of the ports in our metropolitan area."

MWA Boat Available for Your Use

Attention Alliance Partners! The Big G, a retired police boat, is available, no charge, for your use. Take funders on a tour! Throw a party! All we ask is a suggested contribution to cover the fuel usage. The Big G can hold a dozen people.

Click here to contact Captain Carter Craft for more information.