Transcript Bridgeport Port Authority

Environmental Summit
May 2009
Where, Who, Why
• Located in Bridgeport, Connecticut
• Bridgeport Port Authority was formed in 1993
– A quasi-public agency empowered by State statute
7-329 a-u
• To promote the trade and commerce, use and
development, of waterfront assets for Port
and Maritime Uses/Users.
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Where ?
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Who ?
• The Bridgeport Port Authority
– Dedicated to develop Bridgeport’s harbors, a vital
economic development tool in the City, the
Region, the State.
– The Bridgeport Port Authority self-funds
generating revenue through collection of lease
payments, management fees and tariffs; it
finances projects principally through various State
and Federal grants that are project specific
– Bridgeport Port Authority employs 3 people –
Executive Director, Project Manager, Office
Manager
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Why ?
• First Port Authority in Connecticut
• Connecticut has three major deep water ports –
Bridgeport, New Haven, New London
• Interstate 95 traverses all three
• Bridgeport has two primary channels
– Bridgeport Harbor and Black Rock Harbor
• Bridgeport has 17 nautical miles of shoreline
– Majority of waterfront property owners/users are
historical use
• Not necessarily water related or water dependent
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Port Considerations
• Land – many waterfront properties are Brownfields from
historic uses
• Water - both groundwater and open water contain some level
of contamination from historic uses
• Air - If they were to build Interstate 95 today, there is no way
it would be allowed to traverse the coastline
• Knowledge - incomplete technical knowledge. “We know its
not right but we don’t know the best way to fix it”
• FUNDING
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Challenges
• More than 95% of Bridgeport’s waterfront is
privately owned
– Mixed uses, historic uses
• Steel Mills, manufacturing
• Brownfields
– Inherited issues
– “Not my problem”
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Challenges
• Fear of the Unknown
– What are we going to find when we put a shovel
in the ground?
– What is the best way to balance growth and
minimize/reduce environmental footprints
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Bridgeport Port Authority
• Owns Two waterfront facilities
– Water Street Dock and Terminal (WSDT)
• 4+ acre site offering unimpeded waterfront access from
Long Island Sound
• Primary tenant is Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry ,
providing year-round pedestrian and vehicle passage
between Connecticut and Long Island, New York
• Located adjacent to downtown business area, with
almost direct access to commuter railroad, Interstate
95, Bus terminal (local and long distance service)
• Great Commuter location
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Water Street Dock and Terminal
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Water Street Dock and Terminal
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Bridgeport Port Authority
• Owns Two waterfront facilities
– Bridgeport Regional Maritime Complex (BRMC)
• 44+ acre site offering unimpeded waterfront access in
Bridgeport Harbor from Long Island Sound
• Primary tenant is Derecktor Shipyards, a world class
ship building and repair service
– Houses a 600 metric ton travel lift on site (largest one in
Northern Hemisphere)
– Since 2001 has obtained over $200 million in new
construction contracts, constructed and launched 16
commercial ferries and special purpose craft, provides full
service shipyard services
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BRMC
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Derecktor Shipyards
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Derecktor Shipyards
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Bridgeport Harbor
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Bridgeport Harbor
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Bridgeport Harbor
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Black Rock Harbor
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Black Rock Harbor
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Black Rock Harbor
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Seaside Park
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Marinas
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Port Security
• 9/11 changed how all Port and Maritime Users
operate
– No wants their operations to be “public
knowledge”
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Port Security Practices
• “If you see something, say something”
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A first step…
• Cold call to Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP), offering
assistance
• DEP visited Port of Bridgeport
– Understand the operations within the Port
– Understand the concerns of the Port Authority
– Understand the capabilities and resources
available
– Determine ways DEP can assist
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And the next step…
• CT DEP referred BPA to EPA’s Northeast Diesel
Collaborative (NEDC) Port Group
– Monthly, Bi-monthly group “open” conference
calls on variety of “green” subjects
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Tools
• NEDC Port Group activities
• EPA Port Facility Compliance Assistance Focus
Group
– Develop Port Compliance Assistance Tool
• CARE / other business connections
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NEDC
• EPA organized, but really lead by participants
– Participants request info/speakers on topics
– Focus community outreach efforts (i.e. trucking industry)
– Network among ourselves
• Common companies operating in several ports
– Gives other industries opportunity to talk to a broad, and
interested, group
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Port Facility Compliance Assistance Focus Group
• EPA lead on developing Port Compliance
Assistance Tool
– Manual (what, why, how)
– Tool providing assistance in how to comply
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Looking Outside The Box
• Community outreach
– EPA sponsored Community Action for Renewed
Environment (CARE)
– Working with local CARE group
• What we’ve done, What we’re doing
• What are their concerns
– Meeting and talking with non-maritime industries
• Construction firms
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Small Steps = Big Difference
• Working with DEP and EPA
– Changes perceptions, takes away fear, builds
knowledge and know how
• Building Partnerships
– Teaching each other
– Understanding challenges
• Accomplishing Goals
• SUCCESS!
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