Waterways Management Division

 

The objective of MSU Morgan City’s Waterways Management Division is to safeguard persons, facilities, vessels, the marine environment, and the marine transportation system. The division completes the missions of Port State Control Examinations, Pollution response, Facility Inspections as well as handling the day-to-day waterway management issues and concerns that arise on our busy waterways. The MSU Morgan City’s area of response encompasses the southern Louisiana parish of St. Mary and portions of the parishes Iberia, St. Martin and Terrebonne containing 150 miles of interconnecting waterways and bayous including the Intracoastal Waterway, Atchafalaya River, and Vermillion River. They work closely with various waterway stakeholders and users including: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State of Louisiana, and USCG Eighth District Aids to Navigation and Bridge Branches to not only ensure that commercial mariners have free and unobstructed use of our Federal navigable waters, but that all users maintain equal access to safe and secure public waterways. They also review applications for marine event permits and draft local notices to mariners including temporary and permanent safety and security zones as well as broadcast notices to mariners.

 

  • Incident Management

     

    Incident Management

    The Incident Management mission of the Waterways Management Division includes emergency response to pollution incidents. This includes containment and clean-up of oil discharges and hazardous substances introduced into the navigable waters of the United States. Whether the incident involves a few gallons of diesel from a pleasure boat or thousands of barrels of crude oil from a tank barge, our pollution responders use the best tools and contract the best equipment and personnel to clean up the spill and lessen environmental damage. Our personnel are trained in Incident Command System procedures and carry the qualifications of Pollution Responder (PR) and Federal On-Scene Coordinator Representative (FOSCR). By all available means, we ensure persons responsible for discharges are contacted and directed to initiate mitigation and clean-up action. In a joint effort to minimize damage to the environment caused by pollutants, the Marine Safety Unit coordinates response efforts to spills with other involved agencies, including other Federal, State and local partners in accordance with the Area Contingency Plan.

    To contact a Federal On-Scene Coordinator, please contact our duty phone at (985) 397-3270.

  • Facilities

     

    Facilities 

    The Facilities mission of the Waterways Management Division includes overseeing safety, security, and environmental compliance inspections for facilities required to meet the Code of Federal Regulations. These inspections include the review and approval for Facility Security Plans; on-site verification of the plan's implementation, documentation, and training; as well as orchestrating Government Initiated Unannounced Exercises at facilities that hold a Facility Response Plan. Inspections also include facilities that transfer bulk oil and hazardous materials as well as facilities that transfer cargoes of particular hazard. These inspections incorporate the review and approval of Operation and Emergency Manuals, as well as Response Plans in preparation for on-site visits to ensure compliance with federal regulations including verification of documentation and training, participation in drills and exercises, and transfer monitors of oil and hazardous materials.

    To schedule an examination of your facility or if you have questions about facilities, please contact our duty phone at (985) 397-3277.