Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee Announces Membership

Cook Inlet–Following months of organizational meetings and solicitations for membership, the Managing Board for the Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee has selected 22 representatives and 10 alternates to begin working together to improve navigation safety in Cook Inlet as members of the 2015 Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee.

“Forming a harbor safety committee was a priority recommendation of the Cook Inlet Navigational Risk Assessment as a proven and effective means to improving navigation safety,” said Captain Ron Ward, President of the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association and founding member of the Managing Board of the Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee. “These people were selected based on their interests, expertise and extensive knowledge of Cook Inlet’s marine and shore-based operations and environmental safety. We are fortunate to have such a high caliber of candidates ready and willing to serve the Cook Inlet region in this important capacity.”

2015 Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee

Voting Seats Primary Alternate
Commercial Fishing Organization David Martin vacant
Environmental Organization Rachel Lord vacant
Marine Oil Terminal Operators Jack Jensen Paul Mehler
Tanker Operators Jere White Patrick Callahan
LNG Carrier Operators John Taylor vacant
Dry Cargo Ship Operators Pat Kilgore vacant
Cruise Ship Operators vacant vacant
Small Passenger Vessel Operators vacant vacant
Tug and Barge Operators Louis Audette Sharm Setterquist
Harbor Tug Operators Brad Kroon Sven Christensen
Offshore Oil Production Operators Drew Anderson Gunar Berlund
Recreational Boaters Mark Tornai vacant
Southwest Alaska Pilots Association Pete Garay, Vice-Chair Michael O’Hara
CI Regional Citizens Advisory Council Mike Munger Jerry Rombach
Port of Anchorage Stephen Ribuffo , Chairman vacant
Port MacKenzie vacant vacant
Port of Homer Bryan Hawkins vacant
Response Organization Mike Watson vacant
Salvage Organization David DeVilbiss Todd Duke
Ship Agents Bob Arts Luke Hasenbank
Ex Officio Seats Primary Alternate
U.S. Coast Guard CMD Hector Cintron LT Eugene Chung
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, vacant vacant
NOAA Catherine Berg vacant
Dept. Defense, JBER vacant vacant
Marine Exchange Alaska Ed Page vacant
AK Dept. Environmental Conservation Steven Russell vacant
AK Marine Highway Dana Jensen vacant

The Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee (CIHSC) will serve as a link for local marine, environmental and business interests to act collectively in a single forum on behalf of those interests and the future health and wellbeing of Cook Inlet. Among the CIHSC’s duties will be to provide a proactive setting for identifying, assessing, planning, communicating and implementing those operational and environmental measures that promote safe and efficient use of Cook Inlet and adjacent waters; act as an education and resource network through which ideas, materials and procedures can be provided to persons interested in safe and equitable marine and associated shore based operations; promote improved operational and environmental safety for Cook Inlet and adjacent waters; act as a resource for information regarding issues related to marine operational and environmental safety; promote and sustain the goals of marine and environmental safety programs; and help insure that marine safety and environmental measures are coordinated with security concerns and initiatives.

The 2015 CIHSC will hold its first meeting on September 22, at the Port of Anchorage at a time to be determined. Remaining vacancies will be filled at a future date following the meeting. To add your name to the Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee mailing list, click on the following link:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/nukaresearch.com/viewform?hl=en&ndplr=1&formkey=dDF5ZkJZOENzaC1RMWJRQmVxWERUQ3c6MQ#gid=0

For more information, contact:

Tim Robertson, 907 234-7821, timrobertson@nukaresearch.com