Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Corps of Engineers shut down submersibles

(203) 414-1000

----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Lyons
Date: Thursday, February 2, 2012 6:15 pm
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Corps of Engineers shut down submersibles
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org

>
> Dear fellow PSubs members
>
> Once upon a time the horseless carriage had to be preceded by a
> man waving a flag and at night carrying a lantern because of
> safety concerns.
>
> I think that perhaps the time has come for Psubs.org to have an
> underlying purpose other than recreational and general interest
> of the ocean and waterways.
>
> Perhaps we need to think outside the sub and look at adding
> water quality sensors, salinity, pH, dissolved O2, and turbinity
> (the standard four) and conduct environmental assessments as
> part of our good citizen committment to become contributors to
> the knowledge base with regard to the health of our waterways
> and oceans.
>
> I am sure that there would be enough universities around
> interested in whatever data Alec and others can gather for them
> given the cuts to environmental programmes due to the economy.
>
> Once we have a purpose and recognised environmental sponsors for
> the data than Psubs.org as an organisation carrying out
> environmental monitoring on behalf of stakeholders including the
> community as a case to put forward for a permit to carry out
> water quality testing in the subject waterways now prohibited
> for subsea recreational use.
>
> Food for thought, what do you think?
>
> Best regards,
>
> Lawrie
>
>
> ---
>
> Lawrence Lyons
>
> Environmental Engineer
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 15/09/2011, at 8:12 AM, Steve McQueen wrote:
>
> > Jon, I agree with the decision to write the letter. I have
> confidence you
> > will draft an intelligent letter and appreciate you taking on
> the effort. I
> > will be very interested in the response.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Steve McQueen
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> > [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org] On Behalf Of
> Jon Wallace
> > Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 1:23 PM
> > To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> > Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Corps of Engineers shut down submersibles
> >
> >
> > FYI,
> >
> > Colonel Robert D. Peterson, Commanding Officer of the
> Huntington Area Corps
> > of Engineers, issued Directive to Operations CELRH-DE on Sept 9,
> > 2011 prohibiting use or operation of submersible vessels in
> all Corps lakes
> > within the boundaries of Huntington District. This order was
> issued in
> > response to a PSUBS member attempting to dive his submarine at
> Summersville> Lake in West Virginia.
> >
> > The Huntington District encompasses 45,000 square miles in
> parts of five
> > states, including West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and North
> > Carolina. It is responsible for 311 navigable miles along the
> Ohio River,
> > which includes the Nation's largest Inland Waterway port, the
> Port of
> > Huntington.
> >
> > According to Alec Smyth, he had traveled to Summersville Lake
> in West
> > Virginia to dive SNOOPY, his K-250. Alec has dived here
> before, see
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12XqUORL8yc
> >
> > After setting up in the parking lot, all the park rangers
> showed up, were
> > friendly, and asked the usual questions which Alec answered
> and even invited
> > them to inspect his submarine. No problems were incurred and
> the dive
> > proceeded to launch as normal. After launching and about
> > 100 yards off shore Alec was asked via a loudspeaker to return
> to the shore.
> > At this time there were a bunch of police officers and an FBI
> agent. The
> > FBI agent asked for ID's, which were provided, and after
> verifying Alec and
> > others with him, reported that everything had checked out
> fine. However,
> > the agent also had some bad news for Alec telling him that the
> Corps of
> > Engineers Commander had just issued an order prohibiting
> submersibles from
> > diving in any Huntington District lakes or waterways based
> upon concerns of
> > safety and infrastructure.
> >
> > Not only has Alec dived in Summersville Lake on prior
> occasions without
> > incident, but the PSUBS 2006 convention was planned with
> coordination of the
> > Corps of Engineers who made park facilities, picnic areas, and
> meeting rooms
> > available to us free of charge. Six home-built submersibles
> attended that
> > event and dove in Raystown Lake, see
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QCwCKUKeqA
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g70A6o7SaKs
> >
> > I am working with Alec to draft a letter from our organization
> to Colonel
> > Robert Peterson, to understand exactly what the issues are and
> see if we can
> > help resolve them. As Alec told me, this is a big blow
> because Corps lakes
> > are pretty much all there is for diving in the mid Atlantic
> states. This
> > incident is almost assuredly related to the high alert
> surrounding the 9/11
> > tenth anniversary terrorist attack. While there may be
> legitimate concerns
> > about potential damage submersible diving could do to the submerged
> > infrastructure of a lake (clog up a dam intake??), invoking an
> immediate> prohibition on all submersible activity seems to be
> an arbitrary and
> > premature overreaction, to me, considering the diving that has
> been done
> > previously and the direct coordination provided by the Corps
> of Engineers
> > for the 2006 convention.
> >
> > In the interim, members planning any diving activities within
> the Huntington
> > District Corps of Engineers should be careful to avoid this area.
> >
> > Jon
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> PSUBS.ORG
> PO Box 53
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> 603-529-1100
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