1 Gross, Ryan

From: Michael Payne - NOAA Federal [michael.payne@noaa.gov]

Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2013 9:18 AM

To: Gross, Ryan

Cc: Jennifer Skidmore - NOAA Federal Subject: Re: EPA inquiry re: NSF Ice Pier

Ryan, sorry to get back to you so la te. I cant think of any reason given what we know that would require a permit at this time. The cable may be of concern but if you are concerned what mitigation do you have in

mind? Whatever that is can be done to avoid 'takes' of mammals if at al l possible in advance of releasing the pier. I dont know how big or 'towable ' this is, but release in deep wate r would likely be a good thing as well.

On Wed, Mar 13, 2013 at 11:14 AM, Gross, Ryan < Gross.Ryan@epa.gov > wrote:

Michael,

Jennifer Skidmore told me that you would be making a determination regarding the NSF Ice Pier (see below). Could you give me a time frame within which this determination will be made?

Thank you,

Ryan Gross, P.E.

Environmental Engineer

US Environmental Protection Agency ph. 202

‐ 566

‐ 1810

From: Jennifer Skidmore - NOAA Federal [mailto: jennifer.skidmore@noaa.gov ]

Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 1:36 PM

To: Gross, Ryan

Cc: Michael Payne - NOAA Federal Subject: Re: EPA inquiry re: NSF Ice Pier

Ryan, I have forwarded your inquiry to Mike Payne who is th e division chief for the marine mammal incidental take program. He will be in touch regard ing whether or not you need an incide ntal take permit which will influence the ESA section 7 consultation process.

Jennifer2 On Wed, Feb 27, 2013 at 1:01 PM, Gross, Ryan < Gross.Ryan@epa.gov > wrote:

Jennifer,

Sorry to bother you again, but did you ever hear back on who the ice pier was assigned to?

Thanks!

Ryan Gross, P.E.

Environmental Engineer

US Environmental Protection Agency ph. 202

‐ 566

‐ 1810

From: Jennifer Skidmore - NOAA Federal [mailto: jennifer.skidmore@noaa.gov ]

Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 1:23 PM

To: Gross, Ryan Subject: Re: EPA inquiry re: NSF Ice Pier

Thanks for touching base. Let me find out who this was assigned to.

Jennifer

On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 1:14 PM, Gross, Ryan < Gross.Ryan@epa.gov > wrote:

Jennifer,

I was wondering if you had heard anything back regarding the ice pier that I emailed you about a few weeks ago?

Thanks again for your help!

Ryan Gross

US EPA

From: Ryan Gross [mailto: Gross.Ryan@epamail.epa.gov ]

Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 1:06 PM

To: Gross, Ryan Subject: Fw: Voicemail3 Ryan J. Gross, PE Environmental Engineer
Marine Pollution Control Branch US Environmental Protection Agency ph. 202-566-1810
----- Forwarded by Ryan Gross/DC/USEPA/US on 02/20/2013 01:06 PM -----

From: Jennifer Skidmore - NOAA Federal < jennifer.skidmore@noaa.gov > To: Ryan Gross/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

Date: 02/05/2013 02:01 PM Subject: Re: Voicemail

Thanks for the info, I am making some inquiries and w ill get back to you regarding Section 7 consultation or

MMPA incidental take authorizations.

Jennifer

On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at 1:55 PM, < Gross.Ryan@epamail.epa.gov > wrote:

Jennifer,

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

Briefly, NSF has asked EPA to issue them a permit to release a pier made of ice and

reinforced with steel cable into the ocean from t heir McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Before I approve the permit, I am seeking consultation from NOAA regardi ng the probable impact of the pier on the native wildlife. I'm par ticularly interested in danger the steel cable may pose to large

marine mammals.

Details of the pier's construction are included bel ow. More information regarding the release of the pier can be provided upon request.

Thanks,

Ryan J. Gross

Ice Pier Description

The ice pier is necessary to allow vessels to dock and efficiently unload cargo at McMurdo Station. The materials and procedures used to construct the current ice pier are representative of the techniques that are expected to be used in the future. The current ice pier, which is approximately 244 m (800 ft) long, 92 m (300 ft) wide, and 6.7 m (22 ft) thick, was constructed during an austral winter seas on. Construction began when the frozen ice pack in McMurdo Sound reached a thickne ss of approximately 0.6 m (2 ft). A 0.6 m (2 ft) deep berm of snow was created on the ice pack around t he perimeter of what would become the ice pier. Heavy-duty pumps were used to flood t he bermed area with about 10 cm (4 in) of4 seawater. The water froze solid in about 24 hours and the process was repeated in 10 cm layers until the ice reached a total thickness of appr oximately 1.5 m (5 ft). At this stage, holes

were drilled in the ice around the periphery of the pier and sectio ns of 2-inch diameter steel pipe (approximately 200 m total) were inserted vertically into the holes. The open space around each pipe was flooded with water and allowed to freeze, fixing the pi pes in the ice pier. Approximately 2,100 m (6,900 ft) of 1-inch steel cable was woven around the steel pipes providing a horizontal reinforcement mat for the first layer of the ice pier.

The entire process was repeated three more times, until the ice pier was total of 6.7 m (22 ft) thick. However, the horizontal mat of steel c ables was not employed in the final layer; thus, resulting in three layers of cable totaling 6,300 m (21,000 ft) in length. During the construction of the final layer, several wooden utility poles were embedded in the ice to provide support for

electrical and communication cables. The woode d utility poles were natural and had not been chemically treated. Several s horter steel utility poles were fr ozen around the proximal edge of the pier, to attach the pier to the mainland via cables and to se rve as bollards to moor vessels. Following completion of the ice po rtion of the pier, a 15-20 cm (6 -8 inch) layer of 2 cm (3/4 inch) or smaller locally quarried gravel was appli ed to the surface of the pier, to provide a nonslip working surface. Tempor ary structures were placed on the pier to support operations including a Jamesway hut, warm-up shack, and m ilvans containing spill response materials (see Figures 1 and 2).

At the end of each austral summer season, the pier is inspected, and if the pier needs to be resurfaced, much of the gravel is removed and stored for use the followin g season. During the past several operating years, the ice surface was in good condition and the layer of gravel did not have to be removed prior to the austral winter.”

The 2012/13 changes in ice pier construction can be summarized as:

1. The new pier is 354x200 ft (1/3 the sqft of the pier described above). 2. The new pier th ickness is currently ~15 ft but th e general plan is for piers to be with a thickness of 15-20 ft). 3. The new pier curr ently has ~11,500 ft of 1” cable ~ 5 ft from the pier bottom.

4. There is a steel 6x6 in. mesh embedded 10 ft from the pier bottom. 5. There is no Jamesway on the pi er and thus the telepho ne poles to hold power lines are no longer placed on the piers. 6. There will be two spill response mate rials containers (8x20 ft) placed on the pier. 7. We also have a stand-by spill res ponse boat and trailer. We prefer to leave these on shore, if conditions allow it, rather t han place these on the pier. However, local conditions will dictate placem ent during cargo off-load. 8. The pier is cover ed with 6-10 inches of local gravel . The intent is to remove the gravel before winter; however, should ther e be a freeze/melt/freeze which embeds the gravel, the gravel may have to be left in place overwinter.

Ryan J. Gross, PE Environmental Engineer
Marine Pollution Control Branch US Environmental Protection Agency5 ph. 202-566-1810

Jennifer Skidmore - NOAA Federal ---02/05/2013 01: 30:26 PM---Hi Ryan,I got your voice mail message. If you could send me a brie f description of your activities,

From: Jennifer Skidmore - NOAA Federal < jennifer.skidmore@noaa.gov > To: Ryan Gross/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

Date: 02/05/2013 01:30 PM Subject: Voicemail

Hi Ryan,I got your voice mail message. If you could se nd me a brief description of your activities, I can direct you to the correct person for consultation.

Jennifer

-- Jennifer Skidmore

Office of Protected Resources

Permits and Conservation Division

Phone: 301-427-8401

Fax: 301-713-0376

-- Jennifer Skidmore

Office of Protected Resources

Permits and Conservation Division

Phone: 301-427-8401

Fax: 301-713-0376

-- Jennifer Skidmore

Office of Protected Resources

Permits and Conservation Division

Phone: 301-427-8401

Fax: 301-713-0376

-- Jennifer Skidmore6 Office of Protected Resources

Permits and Conservation Division

Phone: 301-427-8401

Fax: 301-713-0376