Minnesota MPO Summer Workshop August 11, 2008 MIC Harbor Planning

SLRIDT Superfund Site Erie Pier Wind Turbine Components Great Ships Initiative Hog Island Inlet Harbor Tour Route

Harbor Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) 30 Member Committee Representing Harbor Stakeholders Government – local, regional, state, & federal Citizen – environmental groups Industry Sectors

Mission Forum for Harbor Related Issues Promote Harbors Economic and Environmental Importance Provide Sound Planning and Management Recommendations to the MIC Harbor Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC)

Presentation Outline Ballast Water Research Accelerated Corrosion Dredged Material Management Contaminated Sediment Cleanup Freight Movement

The Challenge of Ballast Treatment Technology Development IMO standard difficult to measure against IMO standard difficult to measure against No clear standard yet domestically No clear standard yet domestically Tests on board ships are difficult to control and replicate Tests on board ships are difficult to control and replicate Shore based tests require special test conditions Shore based tests require special test conditions –Large tanks –Specialized analyses –High flow rates –Various conditions Ballast Water Research

The Great Ships Initiative:

An industry-led cooperative effort to resolve problems of ship-mediated invasive species in the Great Lakes - St Lawrence Seaway An industry-led cooperative effort to resolve problems of ship-mediated invasive species in the Great Lakes - St Lawrence Seaway Identify solutions as quickly, effectively and economically as possible through research, monitoring and implementation Identify solutions as quickly, effectively and economically as possible through research, monitoring and implementation Communicate results into domestic (US and Canada), and global (IMO) policy processes Communicate results into domestic (US and Canada), and global (IMO) policy processes The Great Ships Initiative:

Funders to Date Canadian and U.S. Great Lakes Ports Canadian and U.S. Great Lakes Ports City of Superior City of Superior St. Lawrence Seaway Development Organizations (U.S. and Canada) St. Lawrence Seaway Development Organizations (U.S. and Canada) U.S. Maritime Administration U.S. Maritime Administration U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation University of Wisconsin-Superior (in-kind) University of Wisconsin-Superior (in-kind) University of Minnesota-Duluth (in-kind) University of Minnesota-Duluth (in-kind) Great Lakes carrier companies (in-kind) Great Lakes carrier companies (in-kind) NOAA NOAA Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute

Accelerated Corrosion in the Duluth-Superior Harbor THE PROBLEM Advanced localized corrosion in submerged steel structures Evident on all steel structures in the working harbor area - up to 7 miles upstream from Aerial Lift Bridge Severity of corrosion is most severe in the upper 4 feet of submerged dock structure

Potential Causes Iron-oxidizing (Siderooxidans lithoautotrophicus) and iron-reducing (Rhodoferax ferrireducens) bacteria are present on corroding steel sheet pilings Accelerated Corrosion in the Duluth-Superior Harbor

Dredged Material Management

Advanced dredged material management planning must be conducted on a port or regional scale by a partnership that includes the Federal government, the port authorities, state and local governments, natural resource agencies, public interest groups, the maritime industry, and private citizens. National Dredging Policy Principles

Dredged material is a resource, and environmentally-sound beneficial use of dredged material for such projects as wetland creation, beach nourishment, and development projects must be encouraged.

Erie Pier Confined Disposal Facility (CDF)

Erie Pier Management Plan Sets management processes in place to facilitate a dredged material reuse program at Erie Pier Describes testing procedures and reuse guidelines from both MN & WI

Updating of the Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) DMMP must include 20 years of dredged material management strategies We are currently compiling potential projects and strategies for the Army Corps for Engineers to study further

21 st Avenue Wetland Creation Restores 75 acres of habitat in a freshwater estuary, a nationally scarce resource. Restores 75 acres of habitat in a freshwater estuary, a nationally scarce resource. Placement of dredged material would cover (isolate) sediment at the site. Placement of dredged material would cover (isolate) sediment at the site. Provides recreational benefits in an urban area. Provides recreational benefits in an urban area.

Mineland Reclamation Mine Tailings Cover over 25,000 Acres in northern Minnesota. Mine Tailings Cover over 25,000 Acres in northern Minnesota. Tailings are Infertile and Difficult to Re-vegetate. Tailings are Infertile and Difficult to Re-vegetate. Mining Companies are Required to Reclaim Tailings Basins and to Replace any Wetland that has been Disturbed by Mining Activity. Mining Companies are Required to Reclaim Tailings Basins and to Replace any Wetland that has been Disturbed by Mining Activity.

Sky Harbor Airport Site Dredged material would be used as fill for runway realignment. Dredged material would be used as fill for runway realignment. Yields approximately 250K yd 3 of capacity. Yields approximately 250K yd 3 of capacity.

CN Ore Dock - Lakehead Site Fill needed to stabilize dock and create bulk material storage area Fill needed to stabilize dock and create bulk material storage area Site estimated to provide 800K yd 3 of capacity. Site estimated to provide 800K yd 3 of capacity.

Contaminated Sediment Cleanup St. Louis River/ Interlake/Duluth Tar Superfund Site Hog Island Inlet

Dredge Areas Cap Areas Contained Aquatic Disposal End Dike St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar (SLRIDT) Superfund Site

Hog Island Inlet Aqua barriers used to drain inlet and sediments were removed in the dry 56,000 cu. yd. of sediment removed to local landfill

Freight Movement in the Duluth-Superior Port

Wind Turbine Components Pieces move into and out of the port Components manufactured in North Dakota bound for Spain Components manufactured in Denmark bound for Midwest wind generation sites Cargoes handled by Lake Superior Warehousing

Questions and Comments