Encl. (7) to COMTINST 16478.12
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
Headquarters Public Affairs
MEDIA ADVISORY
DATE: MAY 11, 1994
CONTACTS:
G-CP-2
JAMES O'DELL
202-267-6491
G-ECV-1A
EDWARD WANDELT
202-267-6144
G-ECV-1A
LTJG MICHAEL BEE
202-267-1926
COAST GUARD REMOVES AIDS TO NAVIGATION (ATON) BATTERIES FROM TAMPA BAY
On April 8, 1994, the Coast Guard completed an initial effort to clean up ATON
batteries at aquatic lighted ATON sites in Tampa Bay, FL. The clean up was
coordinated by the Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit, Miami, the Aids to
Navigation Branch of the Seventh Coast Guard District in Miami, Coast Guard
Group, St. Petersburg, FL and the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems
Center (Volpe Center) in Cambridge, MA.
In total, Coast Guard divers and Volpe Center researchers surveyed 100 aquatic
lighted ATON sites in Tampa Bay, and removed approximately 1,700 ATON batteries
from 49 of the sites. There were no batteries detected at 51 of the sites.
All but 12 of the recovered batteries were of the pre-1980's "primary" type.
Ten of the 12 "secondary" batteries (i.e. lead- acid automotive-type batteries
used in solar-powered ATON) were positively traced back to "knockdowns" (i.e.
vessel collisions with lighted ATON) or incidents of vandalism/theft that
occurred between 1989 and 1992. The two remaining secondary batteries are
thought to have entered the water due to similar causes.
In January 1994, Volpe Center researchers worked from the Coast Guard Cutter
VISE to survey ten aquatic ATON sites, collect soil and battery samples and
evaluate diver safety procedures and different methods of removing batteries.
In conjunction with the research, batteries were removed from a number of
previously surveyed sites.
In February and March 1994 Coast Guard dive teams utilized small boats and
crews from Coast Guard Group, St. Petersburg, FL to survey sites and remove
batteries when they were discovered.
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