The Port Authority’s Mitigation Solution
Program is the latest effort in its ongoing work to meet or
exceed permit requirements for Bayport construction and carry
out its responsibilities to maintain good relationships with
its neighbors.
The following is a list of other efforts the
Port Authority has completed and is maintaining*:
| 1. |
Two planting projects in the greenbelt area
north of the Bayport shoreline; |
| 2. |
Shoreline protection along the north shore of the Bayport
channel; |
| 3. |
The use of “broadband” backup signals on
construction and operating vehicles to reduce the sounds
of traditional alarms; |
| 4. |
Lighting systems that minimize light spill into adjoining
areas; |
| 5. |
Specially designed ship-to-shore cranes that minimize
operating sounds through use of electric motors and spreader
bars that minimize cable-slap; |
| 6. |
Continual workforce education and awareness of sound
issues to help reduce the sound of operations; and |
| 7. |
Discouraging operational use of horns and loudspeakers,
except for safety or security purposes; |
| 8. |
Coordination and cooperation with customers and partners
utilizing Bayport on their vigilance of operations to
reduce their impact on surrounding communities; |
| 9. |
Reduction of construction between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00
a.m.; |
| 10. |
Cooperation and coordination with construction contractors
to maintain "noise plans” that minimize noise
by proper location of equipment, use of deflectors and
other opportunities for noise reduction; |
| 11. |
Wharf foundation is made of drilled shafts, not driven
piles—where piles must be driven to support equipment
or features, it is minimized as much as possible; |
| 12. |
Roller compacted concrete paving has been reoriented
to lay pavement in the east-west line so engine exhausts
and broad band alarms face 90 degrees away from community; |
| 13. |
Vehicle speeds are carefully monitored to slow trucks
to reduce engine revving and operations are monitored
to limit idling; |
| 14. |
Concrete rubble and debris from wharf construction is
hauled to area of batch plant before it is loaded into
dump trucks to reduce noise; |
| 15. |
Batch plants have been located approximately 3,000 feet
away from north shore to reduce sounds of dump truck loading; |
| 16. |
Use large, 25-ton off road dump trucks—large capacity
means fewer truck moves on site. These trucks are remarkably
quiet during operation; |
| 17. |
Dump trucks with tail gates avoid tailgate banging in
sensitive areas of the site; |
| 18. |
Use arm signals instead of horns to signal movement
of trucks when loaded in sensitive areas; and |
| 19. |
Maintain equipment mufflers to ensure they work as designed. |
The Port Authority will continue to take other
measures to address the community impacts of the Bayport Container
and Cruise Terminal. These include operations of the Good
Neighbor Hotline (713-670-1000), which is available 24 hours
a day and seven days a week.
