66% of GoM wind farms slashed

The Gulf of Mexico’s (GoM) first slate of offshore wind farms will have way less space than the federal government proposed late last year. A new wind energy lease sale plan released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) slashed the GoM’s offshore wind energy development areas by around 66%, potentially reducing the number of jobs and clean energy leaders had hoped would be generated. BOEM’s decision to cut the size is aimed at easing possible conflicts with the GoM's other users: O&G, shipping companies and the military. The Louisiana boundary includes a 102,000-acres south of Lake Charles; plus two off Galveston, Texas, that will likely be trimmed into one zone across about 100,000 acres. The numbers are a substantial reduction from 682,000 acres BOEM proposed in October. (NOLA.com 02/23/23) Feds slash Gulf's first offshore wind farm areas | Environment | nola.com

Guv: $5.1M for Madison megasite

MADISON COUNTY, Miss. - A $5.1M state investment could make Madison County’s 1,000-acre Megasite even more attractive to developers. Gov. Tate Reeves announced the county allocation to build an additional access point to the site near the Nissan factory. Madison County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Joey Deason told WLBT: If something happens on site, there's only one ingress/egress to the site. The Megasite is home to a 700,000 SF Amazon Fulfillment Center, Entergy substation and 100,000 SF spec building. The building is a semi-finalist for two development projects, Deason said. The $5.1M comes from a $40M allocation from the 2022 Legislature. Deason is awaiting an official award letter, which he expects this week. The new access road will run along the north side of the property. The existing entrance to the site is located along U.S. Highway 22. Gov. Reeves proposed a second allocation that could aid Madison economic development. Reeves proposed spending $1.3B in transportation investments across Mississippi, including $65M for the widening I-55 from Mississippi 463 to Gluckstadt to six lanes. About 61,000 motorists a day travel between Gluckstadt and MS 463. The proposal must be approved by the Legislature. Other funds would include $10.3M for interchange improvements in Warren County; $49.4M to repave U.S. 49 from Bentonia to Yazoo City; and $55M to widen Highway 25 from Grant’s Ferry Road to Mississippi 471. About $5M is being requested for wetlands mitigation at the Vicksburg River Megasite and Port Complex and $119,250 for “environmental due diligence” at the Wynndale Industrial Center in Hinds County. (WLBT 02/22/23)

CG airlifts overdue boater in La.

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard rescued an overdue boater Feb. 22 from their aground vessel near Bay Denesse, about 65 miles SSE of Chalmette, La. The CG received a report from a family member regarding the overdue boater about noon. The CG launched a Venice-based Response Boat and crew and a New Orleans-based MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and aircrew. The helo crew located the vessel aground in Bay Denesse and hoisted the boater aboard and transporting him to Boothville (La.) Heliport. The boater was last reported in stable condition. (Coast Guard 02/22/23) Video: DVIDS - Video - Coast Guard rescues overdue boater near Bay Denesse, Louisiana (dvidshub.net)

CGS NOLA to host Community Day

Coast Guard Station (CGS) New Orleans is scheduled to host a free open-to-the-public Community Day on Feb. 24 from 1-3 p.m. The station is located in Metairie, La. Area CG unit members will display equipment and discuss various CG missions - from air and boat crews to law enforcement and rescue swimmers. CGS New Orleans is located on the southern shore of Lake Pontchartrain and consists of 77 active duty, civilian and reserve personnel and with eight response boats. For more information follow us on Facebook and Twitter. (Coast Guard 02/22/23) MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to host Community Day in Metairie, Louisiana > United States Coast Guard News > Press Releases (uscg.mil)

GoM offshore wind lease proposed

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of the Interior (DoI) announced Feb. 22 the first proposed offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico. It is part of the White House's latest actions to expand offshore wind opportunities and the President’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to spur offshore wind deployment. The proposed sale is part of the leasing path announced in 2021 to meet the administration’s goal to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030. DoI has held offshore wind lease auctions in New York and California. The Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) includes a 102,480-acre area offshore Lake Charles, La., and two areas of similar size offshore of Galveston, Texas. BOEM is seeking public comments on which, if any, of the lease areas off Galveston should be offered in the Final Sale Notice. These areas have the potential to power almost 1.3M homes. BOEM is also seeking feedback on several lease stipulations. The PSN will publish in the Federal Register later this month and initiates a 60-day public comment period. If DoI decides to proceed, BOEM will publish a Final Sale Notice at least 30 days ahead of the sale, which would announce the time and date of the lease sale and the companies qualified to participate in it. To find out how to comment on the PSN, go to BOEM's Gulf of Mexico Activities webpage. (Dept of Interior 02/22/23) Interior Department Proposes First-Ever Offshore Wind Sale in Gulf of Mexico (govdelivery.com)

CG medevacs man off La. coast

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard medevaced a 58-year-old fishing vessel passenger Feb. 20 about 185 miles south of White Lake, La. The CG received a call from the fishing vessel New Buccaneer stating the male passenger was experiencing stroke-like symptoms. The CG launched two aircraft, a Texas-based HC-144 Ocean Sentry, and a New Orleans-based MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew. The Ocean Sentry aircrew first located the vessel and established radio communication. The helicopter aircrew hoisted the passenger aboard and transferred him to University Medical Center New Orleans. He was last reported in stable condition. (Coast Guard 02/20/23) White Lake is in Vermillion Parish.

Hyundai rolls first EV built in Ala.

The Hyundai plant south of Montgomery, Ala., rolled out its first electric vehicle (EV) at a ceremony Feb. 21. The Genesis Electrified GV70 SUV is the first Genesis model assembled outside of South Korea. The event comes 10 months after Hyundai announced that it would build the SUV and a hybrid version of the Santa Fe in Montgomery. The company announced a $300M investment and the creation of 200 jobs to make the electric SUVs in Alabama. Genesis has committed that starting in 2025 all new models launched will be EVs; and intends all of its vehicle lineup to be electric by 2030. The 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 Advanced AWD has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $65,850. Mercedes-Benz will also produce EVs at its Tuscaloosa County plant - the EQS SUV and the EQE SUV. (AL.com 02/21/23)

$8M regional mod contract

 Aptim Federal Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded an $8,183,019 modification (P00013) to contract W912DY-20-F-0164 for maintenance and minor repair of petroleum systems for commercial semi-trailers. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed in Birmingham, Alabama; Montgomery, Alabama; Avon Park, Florida; Fort Walton, Florida; Homestead, Florida; Panama City, Florida; Biloxi, Columbus, Gulfport, Jackson and Meridian, Miss.; and Carolina, Puerto Rico, with an estimated completion date of March 7, 2024. Fiscal 2023 revolving funds in the amount of $8,183,019 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Eaton: Manufacturing engineer job

The Fuel & Motion Control Systems Division of Eaton’s Aerospace Group has an opening for a Manufacturing Engineer. The position is based in Jackson, Miss. Senior Manufacturing Engineer - NPD in Jackson, Mississippi | Eaton 

Regional flag announcements

SECNAV and CNO announced Feb. 21 the following regional assignments:

Rear Adm. Peter A. Garvin will be assigned as president, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. Garvin is currently serving as commander, Naval Education and Training Command, Pensacola, Florida.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Jeffrey J. Czerewko, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, Naval Education and Training Command, Pensacola, Florida. Czerewko is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Four, Norfolk, Virginia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Wesley R. McCall will be assigned as commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia.  McCall is currently serving as commander, Navy Region Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida. (DoD 02/21/23)

USSF looking to private sector

WASHINGTON — When the Defense Department ordered the evacuation of troops and civilians from Afghanistan in 2021, the transportation command called on the nation’s commercial airlines to help with it. It was a rarity that DoD activated the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), a program set up by the government, with commercial airlines, to augment airlift capacity during emergencies. Now, the U.S. Space Force (USSF) is looking at how to establish similar arrangements with commercial space companies that manufacture satellites, operate launch vehicles and provide services like satellite-based communications and Earth imagery. The thinking is that if a conflict with a rival power breaks out, the U.S. military would need help from the private sector to protect American space assets and augment DoD’s existing satellite-based services. Space Systems Command's Col. Rich Kniseley said there was a need to expand commercial partnerships to ensure access to commercial capabilities during conflict. He was among presenters at a Feb.9-10 form in Virginia. Eighty-four companies participated in the forum.  SSC is the procurement agency of USSF and calls the initiative Commercial Augmentation Space Reserves (CASR). “There are still a lot of things we need to figure out,” Kniseley told SpaceNews. SSC is looking at costs to the government and private sector to implement CASR. Kniseley said a funding proposal is in the works for FY 2025. Details still need to be fleshed out, he said, including policies, statutes, contracting methods and technical issues. (Space News 02/20/23) Space Force considers public-private partnerships to respond to crises - SpaceNews

Prez follicles going into space

Former presidents are being honored in a unique way on President’s Day by having their hair follicles launched into space later this year. Celestis, a company that specializes in memorial spaceflights, obtained hair samples put aside by collector Louis Mushro for the unique experience, according to TMZ. Mushro died in 2014 and a donor gave his collection to NASA. The launch will mark the first time any part of a President has gone into space. George Washington, John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Regan will be among those honored on the ride on the Enterprise Mission atop the Vulcan Centaur rocket, according to TMZ. The Prez samples will be sharing space on the flight with DNA and cremated remains of late astronaut Philip Chapman and Star Trek celebs, according to Universe Today. (Daily Caller 02/20/23) The Hair Of Former Presidents Will Be Launched To Space For President’s Day | The Daily Caller

Black history & MS cutter Yocana

The mystery of “River Cutter” Yocona, the Coast Guard's first desegregated cutter, was homeported in 1920 Vicksburg, Miss., during the Jim Crow era. This story begins in 1913, years before Yocona was commissioned. In the list of deadly American floods, the Great Flood of 1913 ranks only second in number of lives lost (690) that negatively impacted 19 states, including Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. More than a 250,000 people were left homeless. Along the Mississippi River, damages exceeded $200M. It eventually changed the country's management of its waterways and increased federal support for comprehensive flood prevention and funding for flood control projects. On Aug. 29, 1916, a naval appropriations bill was passed to construct of three “light-draft river steamboats” for the CG. The mission was to “give relief, succor, and assistance to victims of floods” on the two major river systems." Two were completed: Yocana and Kankakee (with all-white crew). The CG stationed Yocona at Vicksburg through 1925. Yocona was a pioneering cutter in three ways: First CG cutter stationed on the nation’s Western Rivers; first stern paddlewheel cutter to serve in the lower U.S.; and was the first federal vessel in peacetime manned by a racially integrated crew. (Coast Guard 02/17/23) The Long Blue Line: The mystery of “River Cutter” Yocona the Coast Guard's first desegregated cutter homeported in the Deep South. > United States Coast Guard > My Coast Guard News (uscg.mil)

PAL's 38th annual conference

The Ports Association of Louisiana (PAL) will hold its 38th annual conference on March 29-30 in Houma from the Marriott Conference Center. Among sessions are forums on “Ports & the Legislature" and a gubernatorial forum; presentations from Dr. Greogry Brian Upton, executive director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies; and Bruce Lambert, Central Gulf & Southern Rivers Gateway Director of the U.S. Maritime Administration. On March 30, there will be a PAL's Board Meeting & Breakfast in the Terrebonne Ballroom. (PAL 02/20/23) 38th ANNUAL CONFERENCE | Mysite (portsoflouisiana.org)

 

Gov't reprieves from PERS increase

Lauderdale County and Meridian (Miss.) elected officials breathed a sigh of temporary relief after a mandatory increase in employer’s contribution to the state retirement system was postponed until July 2024. It was scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 1. The Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Board of Trustees voted in December to an increase of 5% employers would pay into the retirement fund to 22.4%. The initial move would have cost state and local governments more than $300M annually. Now, at least, governments have time to plan budgets that include the PERS increase. An estimate from the PERS 5-year strategic plan showed the retirement system is on track to have just 67.6% of its obligations funded by 2047. A healthy system should be around 80%. (Meridian Star 02/20/23) Local officials breath easier as PERS increase postponed | Local News | meridianstar.com

While the increase is postponed, it will still go into effect after the July 2024 deadline. Local officials will have to keep the increase in mind as they make plans for the future.

Starbucks chilled coffee recall

PepsiCo Inc recalled more than 25,000 cases of Starbucks' frappuccino vanilla chilled coffee drink nationwide after glass was found in some of the bottles, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. The voluntary recall covers more than 300,000 bottles. FDA classified this as a "product (that) may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote," according to the FDA website. Distributed nationwide by PepsiCo, the bottles with the following expiration dates have been affected: Mar. 8th, May 29th, Jun. 4th and 10th. PepsiCo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Emergencyemail.com 02/18/23) FDA Warning: Glass found in popular coffee drinks (emergencyemail.org)

Biden in Kyiv on Prez day in US

President Joe Biden arrived in Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv, on Presidents Day in the U.S., for an unscheduled surprise sit on his way to neighboring Poland. Politico reported Feb. 29 that the trip to Ukraine had "all but ruled out" after aides felt it too risky. Air raid sirens sounded over the Kyiv as Biden visited but there were no signed of an attack, Reuters reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Biden the visit was "an extremely important sign of support for all Ukrainians," according to the news wire. Biden used the trip to reaffirm US commitment to Ukraine as it approaches the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion. U.S. officials had given Moscow notice of Biden's trip. (Business Insider 02/20/23) Joe Biden made a daring, unannounced visit to Ukraine, a show of support the White House once considered too risky to attempt (msn.com)

Get your $7 cauliflower sandwich

Chick-fil-A launched testing of a new $7 plant-based (cauliflower) sandwich Feb. 13 in Denver, Charleston, S.C., and Greensboro, N.C. Its preparation is similar to the original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich - marinated, breaded with a signature seasoning, pressure-cooked and served on a toasted buttery bun with two dill pickle chips. “Cauliflower is the hero of our new sandwich,” Leslie Neslage, director of menu and packaging at Chick-fil-A, said in the press release. “Guests told us they wanted to add more vegetables into their diets ... (but) wanted it to taste "uniquely Chick-fil-A,” she added. The Cauliflower sandwich is not considered vegetarian or vegan because it’s cooked in oil used to fry chicken sandwiches. (Chick-Fil-A 02/09/23)

Presidents Day: Open & closed

Monday is Presidents Day. The federal holiday commemorates America's 45 commanders in chief (Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is considered the 22nd and 24th President). 

Most retail stores will be open, but many corporate offices and government agencies will not. 

Presidents Day is a bank holiday at the Federal Reserve. Most banks will be closed. Notably, TD Bank will be open. 

The Postal Service will be closed. There will be no deliveries of mail.

Non-essential government offices at the federal, state, county and city levels will be closed (DMV, libraries, courthouses and city halls. Federal and state courts will be closed. (WAPT 02/19/23)

Passenger vessels' renewed activity

The passenger vessel industry is trending toward cleaner fuels that has impacted design of new vessels, as has the increased movement towards digitalization and more automated operations. 

Among notes: Louisiana is set to launch a new ferry service with a nearly $41M low-interest loan assist from the US Department of Transportation. Two new Elliott Bay Design Group-designed 190-foot ferries will be built in Houma, La., by Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors for an anticipated completion date in mid-2025, replacing the Cameron II, which was built in 1964. The two vessels will use battery-powered electric thrusters, which can be upgraded to fully electric in the future. 

The offshore wind activities are creating demand for crew transfer vessels (CTVs), cousins to passenger craft. Three Incat Crowther-designed CTVs are being built for WINDEA CTV - a joint venture between MidOcean Win, Hornblower Group and Ems Maritime Offshore - including two at St Johns Ship Building in Florida and another at Gulf Craft in Louisiana. 

In the overnight sector, river and coastal cruise vessels have benefited greatly as travelers are staying closer to home. American Cruise Lines continues to expand. Its new-build American Symphony began Mississippi River excursions in late 2022. Its American Serenade, the fifth in a series of 175 passenger ships, is to begin cruises on the Lower Mississippi River this Spring. 

Catamaran vessels are described as versatile, which will enable them to run almost anywhere. Viking Cruise Lines’ Viking Mississippi, delivered in 2022 from Edison Chouest’s LaShip shipyard in Houma, La., is now active on its namesake river, breaking from the tradition of Mississippi paddle-wheelers. (Marine Link 02/19/23) 2023 Shipbuilding Report: US Passenger Vessels (marinelink.com)