Port Authority Board Continues Reform Initiatives to Enhance

Don't miss our emails! Add [email protected] to your address book. If you would like to receive the "Growing the Region Newsletter" on a regular basis please click here.

Vol. 9, No. 8 October 2014

BRIEFS Port Authority Board Continues Reform Initiatives to Port Authority Observes Enhance Transparency and Governance Practices Breast Cancer Awareness Month The Port Authority Board of Commissioners at its meeting on October 22 continued its ongoing reform initiatives by approving a new Freedom of Information policy that will take effect on January 1, 2015. The revised policy will provide the public with an enhanced ability to obtain agency records and a two-tiered appeals process in the event a request for a document is denied.

The new policy provides for the disclosure of Port Authority records to the same extent that comparable records are disclosed in either New York or New Jersey. The new policy also includes a two-tiered appeals process to allow anyone denied a record to appeal that decision to an agency review board and then to an independent, binding third-party arbitrator.

Read press release for additional details. GWB Electrician with staff member wrapping a light in honor of a member of her family.

Continuing through October, the Governor Cuomo Announces Modernization and George Washington Bridge Revitalization Plan for New York Airports necklace lights will glow pink in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Introduced 29 years ago to October 20 hosted Vice heighten awareness of the President Joe Biden at an event disease, and to raise funds for to unveil the Governor's research into its cause, comprehensive plan to prevention and cure, the color pink has become a symbol of modernize and revitalize solidarity for the Breast Cancer LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy Awareness movement. International, Republic and Stewart International Port Authority Receives Airports -- bringing them up to National Award for Excellence 21st Century standards for in Maritime Security from U.S. service, access and amenities. Coast Guard On October 8, The Port Authority For details, please read press of New York and New Jersey release issued by the received the Rear Admiral Governor's Office. Governor Cuomo hosts Vice President Richard E. Bennis Award for its Biden at event to announce maritime security initiatives in modernization plans for NY airports. the Port of New York and New (Photo courtesy of NY.Gov Flickr page) Jersey.

In naming the Port Authority as one of its award recipients, the U.S. Coast Guard evaluated the Port Authority Joins Port Newark Container Terminal, agency against its peers across the country in the areas of Inc. in Dedication of Post-Panamax Cranes people, partnerships, physical security, processes, and other security activities and programs. Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Deb Gramiccioni helped Port The award seeks to increase Newark Container Terminal, Inc. dedicate three super-post- public awareness and stress the Panamax cranes, the largest modern container cranes in service at importance of protecting the PNCT's leasehold on Calcutta Street in Port Newark on October 16. marine transportation system. Participating in the dedication Did You Know? ceremony were U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, Port Authority Port Commerce Director Rick Larrabee, and other federal, state, and local officials. Secretary Foxx attended to highlight the $14.8 million federal TIGER grant toward construction of Goethals Bridge rendering. the Port Newark Container Terminal Access Improvement and Expansion Project. Current estimates are that the replacement of the Goethals Bridge will require: The expansion is one of the largest infrastructure projects in New Jersey: - 95,000 cubic yards of concrete, Over the next 15 years, PNCT will enough to fill 30 Olympic-sized invest more than $500 million and the One of the three new super- swimming pools Port Authority will invest up to an post-Panamax cranes dedicated - 14,000 total tons of rebar steel, additional $100 million. at Port Newark . which weighs about the same as 848 standard city buses The new ship-to-shore cranes, which have a 65-ton lifting capacity, are part of an expansion of the marine Please visit our website to learn terminal that includes developing additional acreage, deepening the more about the Goethals Bridge berths, strengthening the docks, expanding the queuing area, and Replacement Project. upgrading the entire fleet of container-handling equipment.

Public Meetings The Port Authority recently completed construction on the expansion The next meeting of the Port of the terminal's ExpressRail facility from its current two loading tracks Authority Board of to four, giving the terminal the ability to handle approximately 250,000 Commissioners will be held on rail boxes per year. The additional 5,000 feet of rail track and resulting Wednesday, November 19, at capacity will give PNCT the ability to service both major East Coast 225 Park Ave. South, New York Class 1 railroads. City. A schedule of public meetings is published on the Port Authority website. Minutes and actions from previous Board of Commissioners meetings and webcasts are also available Port Authority Addressing Noise at Airports online.

The Port Authority has signed an agreement with Environmental Science Associates to conduct federal Part 150 airport noise compatibility planning studies for John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports over the next three years, with the goal of finding potential mitigation procedures to help alleviate residents' concerns about aircraft noise.

Under the agreement, Environmental Science will prepare noise exposure maps, analyze land-use compatibility issues and assess the viability of potential noise mitigation solutions.

The Port Authority also is addressing the noise concerns of residents living in close proximity to Newark Liberty International and Teterboro airports in New Jersey, seeking the same federal noise studies under a separate procurement on an expedited basis. A community noise roundtable occurred in June for Newark Liberty with another planned this fall, and Teterboro has had a long-standing group to discuss noise concerns for residents in communities surrounding the busy general aviation airport.

Read press release for additional details.

www.panynj.gov

Do you have comments? Email [email protected] Forward this email