WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) presented testimony on Wednesday to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation regarding the need to increase ice cutting capacity on the northern Great Lakes.  Stupak urged the committee members to enforce congressional intent by requiring the Coast Guard to replace the decommissioned Coast Guard Cutter Acacia in Charlevoix.

“It is important that a new Coast Guard cutter or similar asset be stationed in Charlevoix to replace the Acacia and continue the Coast Guard’s long-standing presence in the northern Great Lakes,” Stupak said.  “While the Mackinaw is now stationed in Cheboygan, ice breaking capacity in the northern Great Lakes has been reduced from two cutters to one, threatening the Coast Guard’s ability to meet its operational responsibilities on the Great Lakes.  The Coast Guard fleet is down one hull, but the scope of its icebreaking mission is still the same.”

The Acacia was decommissioned on June 7, 2006, after more than 60 years of service.  The Acacia provided essential navigational and search and rescue services in the northern Great Lakes, tended to nearly 200 buoys and lighthouses, and kept channels open by breaking ice.

Stupak, who was scheduled to testify in person before the committee, submitted his written testimony instead.  Stupak was pulled into a strategy meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to discuss pending legislation on energy speculation, which Stupak is playing a leading role in crafting.  The committee heard from additional witnesses who spoke on the Coast Guard’s icebreaking mission on the Great Lakes and other regions.

Stupak noted the frustration he has faced in working to replace the Acacia.  He included language in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2006 that would, in effect, require the Acacia to be replaced.  Efforts to force the Coast Guard to do so have been ignored.

“I have written the Coast Guard multiple times requesting that they follow congressional intent,” Stupak said.  “Unfortunately, the commandant of the Coast Guard continues to insist that the Coast Guard will not follow the law Congress wrote, leaving northern Michigan without a replacement for the Acacia.”

Stupak continues to work with Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) to replace the Acacia.  The full text of Stupak’s testimony is below.

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Statement of CONGRESSMAN Bart Stupak
Before The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime TRANSPORTATION
July 16, 2008

Thank you, Chairman Cummings and Ranking Member LaTourette, for allowing me to testify before the Subcommittee on the importance of ice breaking to Michigan and the Great Lakes region. 

The Coast Guard Cutter ACACIA was decommissioned on June 7, 2006, after over 60 years of service to this country.  The ACACIA had been stationed in Charlevoix, Michigan, since 1990.

The ACACIA provided essential navigational and search and rescue services in the Northern Great Lakes.  She also tended nearly 200 buoys and lighthouses and kept channels open by breaking ice.  This work is important for safety as well as for businesses and individuals that rely on the Great Lakes.  The community has felt great pride in being the home of the ACACIA, and I have been proud that the cutter has been stationed in my district.

The Great Lakes serve as a main through fare for iron ore to America’s steel mills and other cargos to destinations in the United States, Canada, and overseas.  During the winter months, 17 million tons of commerce moves through the Great Lakes.  Without sufficient cutter presence, these goods will not reach their destination. 

Icebreaking operations in the Great Lakes also play an important role for the local community.  The residents of Beaver Island relied upon the Coast Guard’s icebreaking assets in Charlevoix to assure their safety and support their economy.  This year’s cold winter showed the need for a cutter presence when Beaver Island again had to make an emergency call to the Coast Guard to break the ice to facilitate a fuel shipment.  This is a common occurrence during cold winters.

Also, in March of this year there was a collision in the Mackinaw Straits because there was not sufficient ice breaking capabilities.  The American Republic was trapped in the ice, blocking the previously cleared path through the Straits.  The Cason J. Calloway attempted to pass by the American Republic, and there was a collision.  This incident caused about $1.5 million in damage to these two ships. 

When this occurred, the two 140 foot buoy tenders were breaking ice on the St. Mary’s River as the Soo Locks has just been opened.  The MACKINAW was above the Soo Locks at the time and the third 140 foot buoy tender was not in operation.

It was clear that the Coast Guard had their hands full with ice along the Michigan-Canadian border and did not have the ability to respond to the American Republic.  With an additional vessel with ice breaking capabilities, this collision could easily have been avoided.  

The Coast Guard’s operation in the area has also become increasingly important because the Canadian government has now decommissioned two of its ice breakers without replacing them, increasing the demand on U.S. vessels.

It is important that a new Coast Guard cutter or similar asset be stationed in Charlevoix, Michigan to replace the ACACIA and continue the Coast Guard’s long standing presence in the Northern Great Lakes. 

In order to facilitate this, I worked closely with Chairman Oberstar to include language in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2006.  The bill language states that: “The Secretary shall take all necessary measures to ensure that the Coast Guard maintains, at a minimum, its current vessel capacity for carrying out ice breaking in the Arctic and Antarctic, Great Lakes, and New England regions, including the necessary funding for operation and maintenance of such vessels.”

This language supports sustained ice breaking vessel capacity in the Great Lakes.  However, the Coast Guard has ignored Congressional intent. 

I have written the Coast Guard multiple times requesting that they follow Congressional intent.  Unfortunately, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Thad Allen, continues to insist that the Coast Guard will not follow the requirements within the Fiscal Year 2006 Coast Guard Authorization bill, leaving Northern Michigan without a replacement for the ACACIA.

While the new 225 foot cutter, the MACKINAW, is stationed in Cheboygan, ice breaking capacity in the Northern Great Lakes has been reduced from two cutters to one, threatening the Coast Guard’s ability to meet its operational responsibilities on the Great Lakes.  The Coast Guard fleet is down one hull, but the scope of its icebreaking mission is still the same.

I believe the Coast Guard will be unable to provide adequate ice breaking services on the Great Lakes unless an additional icebreaking ship is assigned to the Ninth Coast Guard District.  To ensure that commerce on the Great Lakes continues to operate efficiently and efficiently, we must replace the ACACIA with another Coast Guard asset in Charlevoix.

I look forward to continuing my work with the Subcommittee and Chairman Oberstar to ensure that the Coast Guard honors Congressional intent to replace the ACACIA and provide adequate icebreaking services in the Great Lakes.  Thank you.