November 2006 Vol.7, No.10 the black hole brings the noise a round table windsurfi ng california’s begins for bay innovation clean tech & ferries’ future changes sails green progress GAME ON Complete Ferry Schedules for all SF Lines “Th e Voice of the Waterfront” news features AROUND THE BAY 14 What to See, Be, Do WATERFRONT ACTIVITIES 23 Our recreational resource guide FERRY BUILDING MARKETPLACE 28 Map to navigate the sunlit nave WTA FERRY SCHEDULES 30 Be on-time for last call www.baycrossings.com BAYCROSSINGS November 2006 3 Save $1 off your tolls! Tolls on state bridges will increase by $1 on OFF January 1, 2007 — but not for FasTrak® users! SAVE $1 Pay your tolls the electronic way — with FasTrak® STATE — and receive a $1 toll discount every time EVERY you drive through a toll plaza during the month ® BRIDGE TOLL* of January. Just mount the FasTrak toll tag to ! your windshield — tolls will be automatically IN JANUARY collected from your prepaid account as you roll past the toll booths. Save time, money and hassles with FasTrak® Sign up now and save $1 on every toll in January 2007. Apply online today at www.511.org (or call 877-229-8655), * Valid only for 2-axle vehicles from January 1, 2007, through January 31, 2007, on the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond- and get on the FasTrak®. San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland Bay and San Mateo-Hayward bridges. WATERFRONT VIEWS BAYCROSSINGS November 2006 Volume 7, Number 10 Joyce Aldana, Publisher Bobby Winston, Proprietor Michelle Moday, Editor ADVERTISING & MARKETING Port Oakland Ranked Fourth Tier Joel Williams, Advertising & Marketing Director Eric Shatin, Advertising Sales Fourth largest port in U.S. deemed last in line for security funding by Homeland Security GRAPHICS & PRODUCTION Francisco Arreola, Designer / Web Producer and dereliction of duty by the Bush Comes in Second (with 4.7 million ART DIRECTION BY GUY SPAN Francisco Arreola; Michelle Moday Administration.” Late in September, Lee TEUs). However, Oakland is nothing to STAFF WRITERS & EDITORIAL here are four levels joined other members of the California sneeze at, as by DHS’ defi nition, it is the Dianne Boate & Robert Meyer; (tiers) of ports rated Bill Picture; Mary E. Shacklett; Congressional Delegation to write to third largest container port in America, Guy Span; Joel Williams by the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Michael handling some 2.3 million TEUs. By CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Homeland Security Chertoff, to express her shock and example, Seattle and Tacoma each handle & PHOTOGRAPHERS Kristen Bole; Denise Dohogne; (DHS), from Tier 1 astonishment. around Kimmie Haworth; Scott Hargis; ports carrying the greatest risk (and There is a rationale for assessing There are four levels (tiers) of ports Ed & Pam McGrath; Jane Morson; T JB Powell; GraceAnn Walden earning the most DHS dollars) to risk and a methodology for Homeland rated by the Department of Homeland ACCOUNTING low-risk Tier 4 ports like Albany, NY Security. First, there is Geographic Security (DHS), from Tier 1 ports Cindy Henderson or Mount Vernon, IN. So what Tier Risk (worth up to 50 points), and it carrying the greatest risk (and earning Subscribe: By mail: $35 / year (12 monthly issues) do you suppose DHS has applied to is composed of the following three the most DHS dollars) to low-risk Tier 4 Online: www.baycrossings.com/subscribe.asp the fourth busiest container port in components as provided by the ports like Albany, NY or Mount Vernon, Advertising Inquiries: America, namely Oakland? It may department: Vulnerability, Consequence IN. So what Tier do you suppose (707) 556-3323, [email protected] take several guesses before one comes and known Threat. DHS has applied to the fourth busiest Bay Crossings up with the current rating. The second area is also worth up to container port in America, namely Ferry Building, #22 For reasons known only to DHS, 50 points and it is called Asset Risk. Asset Oakland? It may take several guesses San Francisco, CA 94111 Oakland is rated as a Tier 4 port Risk (according to DHS) is the sum of before one comes up with the current A Division of Nematode Media, LLC and shares that with a whole host of two independent, but complimentary, rating. less signifi cant ports except for its assessments of port asset risk, including For reasons known only to DHS, Corrections & Letters companion in woe, the Port of Miami. port, private infrastructure and vessel Oakland is rated as a Tier 4 port and In the Sept. 2006 story, “Bay The result means less federal dollars risk. shares that with a whole host of less Crossings Saves Historic Wheelhouse, for Oakland to improve its security. While it is difficult to apply the signifi cant ports except for its companion Bids Adieu to Fresno,” the caption According to Deputy Director criteria, as almost each one is an analyst’s in woe, the Port of Miami. The result incorrectly states the photo was taken of External Affairs of the Port of assessment of risk, it is known that the means less federal dollars for Oakland at the time of Fresno’s maiden voyage. Oakland, Harold P. Jones, the Port Port of Oakland is accessed through to improve its security. Bay Crossings regrets the error. was surprised that its fi scal year 2006 defi ned and dredged shipping channels According to Deputy Director of funding request was ignored ($0 Please send comments, letters or requests for with the bulk of the business being External Affairs of the Port of Oakland, corrections to [email protected] granted) and dismayed that the Port of containers. A shut down of even part Harold P. Jones, the Port was surprised Oakland has been ranked Fourth Tier. of the port would have vast impacts on that its fi scal year 2006 funding request He said it’s diffi cult to understand the West Coast Shipping (and employment), was ignored ($0 granted) and dismayed rationale and begs the question: How as containers would have to diverted to that the Port of Oakland has been ranked does the fourth busiest container port other, already crowded ports. Fourth Tier. He said it’s difficult to in the country achieve such a low The key impact of being ranked understand the rationale and begs the ranking? However, Jones also said as a Fourth Tier port is, primarily, lost question: How does the fourth busiest that the Port was comfortable with its fi nancial aid to improve security. The container port in the country achieve immediate baseline security measures, big boys in ports are all in Tier 1 and such a low ranking? However, Jones also including fencing and cameras. He include LA/Long Beach-as the busiest said that the Port was comfortable with notes that Oakland had one of the container port on the West Coast, and its immediate baseline security measures, fi rst radiation detectors and that each New York/New Jersey-as the busiest East including fencing and cameras. He notes container leaving the port is checked, Coast port. Now, we have to be careful that Oakland had one of the fi rst radiation but important programs such as with the term “busy.” detectors and that each container leaving transportation worker identifi cation, Container ports are rated by how the port is checked, but important Visit and shop the and others, were left unfunded. many TEUs they process in a year. A programs such as transportation worker Bay Crossings store! Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, TEU is industry parlance for a twenty- identification, and others, were left said in a press release “to zero out the foot equivalent unit or a twenty-foot unfunded. Located at the security funding request for the fourth container. Thus a forty-foot container Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, said center of the largest port in the United States, would be the equivalent of two TEUs. in a press release “to zero out the security Ferry Building at a time when we face intensifi ed By that ranking, LA/Long Beach towers funding request for the fourth largest port Marketplace terrorist threats due to the war in Iraq, over Oakland (with over 14 million is tantamount to gross negligence TEUs), and New York/New Jersey Oakland continues, p.6 www.baycrossings.com BAYCROSSINGS November 2006 5 WATERFRONT VIEWS OAKLAND continued from p.5 Threat. The following table compares Oakland’s funding to some other sample ports: The second area is also Tier Port FY 2006 Award FY 2002-2006 TEUs Rank Tons Rank in the United States, at a time worth up to 50 points and it when we face intensifi ed terrorist is called Asset Risk. Asset Risk Four Oakland $0 $11,000,000 2,272,525 3 15,541,066 45 threats due to the war in Iraq, is (according to DHS) is the tantamount to gross negligence sum of two independent, but Two Seattle $7,416,539 $39,831,762 2,087,989 4 23,501,372 37 and dereliction of duty by the complimentary, assessments of Three Baltimore $4,809,848 $16,614,208 602,486 19 47,399,120 17 Bush Administration.” Late in port asset risk, including port, Three Charleston $9,021,591 $29,114,612 1,986,586 6 24,739,212 34 September, Lee joined other private infrastructure and vessel Four Miami $2,250,000 $28,187,767 1,054,462 11 9,754,577 56 members of the California risk. Four San Diego $139,837 $14,071,052 101,509 NR 3,107,232 99 Congressional Delegation to While it is diffi cult to apply Four San Francisco $0 $9,717,897 ------- NR 2,654,714 112 write to Homeland Security the criteria, as almost each one Four Stockton $0 $1,942,704 ------- NR 2,803,015 106 Secretary, Michael Chertoff, is an analyst’s assessment of Four Richmond $1,185,716 $4,792,116 ------- NR 24,743,520 33 to express her shock and risk, it is known that the Port NR = Not in the top 25 Ports as Reported by the American Association of Port Authorities, astonishment.