According to an informational summary compiled by Clatsop County staff the National Oceanic Administration Association (NOAA) has been exploring options to relocate their research fleet, currently home ported in the Puget Sound area where its lease is set to expire in 2011. North Tongue Point was thought to have been identified as one of three possible sites for this relocation, but further clarification found that NOAA has not made a short list of potential sites.
Clatsop Economic Development Resources (CEDR) has determined that hiring a consultant to assist in promoting the Tongue Point site is needed. Clatsop County has a contract with CEDR to help with development of economic resources, locally. In April 2008, when the Board of County Commissioners joined the cities of Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Gearhart, Warrenton, Port of Astoria, and Clatsop Community College in unanimously adopting a resolution in support of the NOAA relocation to Tongue Point CEDR was asked to serve as the collection point for information and take the lead in the effort to bring the fleet to Tongue Point.
The relocation of the NOAA fleet would mean relocating five permanent vessels and two visiting vessels. It is estimated that 40-50 families would move permanently to the area. In the summer months, this area would see a significant increase in transit workers such as scientists and other research personnel, according to the staff summary.
In a letter to Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Undersecretary of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, US Rep David Wu wrote to encourage consideration of the Astoria site, “At the mouth of the Columbia River, Astoria would require considerably less travel time to sea than other ports under consideration. Astoria is also accessible to a number of Oregon institutions of higher education that conduct marine research, including Oregon State University, Clatsop Community College, the Marine Educational and Research Technical Station, the Oregon Graduate Institute, and Portland State University. This research presents great potential for collaboration between the institutions and NOAA, and is likely to yield reciprocal benefits.”
The Port of Bellingham is another port hoping to attract the NOAA fleet. According to its website, Bellingham launched a community-based ‘Get NOAA’ Campaign in a meeting with community leaders in the business, environmental, education and government sectors to learn about the Get NOAA effort and began making plans to demonstrate community support for the fleet relocation in September 2007. Bellingham claims that homeporting the NOAA’s Pacific Marine Operations Center has been a community goal since the Waterfront Futures Group planning effort in 2003-04 and has since spent just under $25,000 in efforts to campaign for their relocation. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen is supporting Bellingham as the best location.
“We’ve been pretty aggressive about going forward and finding out what exactly their needs are,” said said Jim Darling, Port of Bellingham executive director, “How many slips they need, how deep, what they need at the docks and upland facilities.” During routine visits to Washington, D.C., Darling has also made several courtesy calls to NOAA command staff to better understand their needs and their process for lease renewal.
On July 4, 2006, a fire caused by an electrical short destroyed two piers and two storage buildings on the Lake Union property leased by NOAA and the agency has been unable to use them. However, one of the damaged docks is being repaired, but it won’t be ready until next fall. Moorage isn’t a problem in the spring and summer months when NOAA’s ships are out in the Pacific Ocean, and the agency will temporarily dock two of its vessels at Pier 30 in Seattle from mid-fall to spring of next year. NOAA’s Marine Operations Center is in Seattle and its research fleet has been located in Seattle since before the turn of the century.
David Schaefer, a spokesman for the Port of Seattle, stated “We are very committed to keeping them here. They are an institution in Seattle, and the maritime industry is important here for the city, and for academic life here because of the number of people working in science fields at the University of Washington.”
According to previous reports NOAA leases the Lake Union land and piers from five families that own the property. Because NOAA is a government agency and must undergo a review before a lease is re-signed, it cannot give the landowners any assurance that NOAA will lease the land again in 2011. The last lease was renewed in 2000. The families’ attorney said that they are hopeful that the rebuilding of the burned piers will entice the fleet to remain where it is.
CEDR is asking the Clatsop County Board of County Commissioners to revise its contract with the county and add $35,000 to hire a consultant to help with promoting Astoria and the Tongue Point site to NOAA, which will make a final determination in 2009 for a move in date of 2012 if the relocation occurs. The contract revision will be discussed and decided at the next regular meeting of the board on Wednesday, Oct 22nd at 6 PM at the Guy Boyington Building, in Astoria.
CLARIFICATION & UPDATE
Jeanne Kouhestani, Public Affairs Officer with NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations contacted NorthCoastOregon.com to clarify that Astoria’s Tongue Point is NOT one of three sites being considered for relocation. According to Kouhestani a short list of potential sites has not been determined. On Oct. 17th the Pre SFO Notice appeared in the Federal Business Opportunities publication.
According to the notice: NOAA seeks to lease a facility consisting of both piers and upland facilities for NOAA’s Marine Operations Center – Pacific (MOC-P). MOC-P provides centralized management of ten NOAA ships on the West Coast, including Alaska and Hawaii, and is homeport to four of the ships. The Government plans to issue a Solicitation for this requirement in late November and hold a pre-bid conference for the project in December. The occupancy date for this requirement is May 2011. The Government anticipates award of a 20 year lease.
At a minimum, proposed facilities must be able to meet the following conditions:
Office Space 17,100 rsf
Shop Space 2,850 rsf
Boat Shed 2,850 rsf
Warehouse Space 5,360* rsf
Electronic Shop/Lab 2,850 rsf
Open Storage 10,000 sf
Parking 35,000 sf (75-100 parking stalls, 50 to be secured)**
Large Ship Pier 1,560 usable linear feet (approximately 260 linear feet x 6 ships) 25 feet wide with 20 feet usable is minimum required (30 feet or more of width is preferred)
Small Boat Pier 400 linear feet
Laydown Area 20,000 sf
Large Ship Pier requirements include: 500 pound per square foot live load rating, 440 Volt 800 amps per berth, 24 foot draft, sewer, steam, water, phone, high-speed internet connectivity, television, pier fire safety requirements.
*Facilities located more than 50 but less than 100 driving miles from 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington are required to provide 4,875 rsf of additional warehouse space for a total of 10,235 [5,360+4,875]. Facilities located more than 100 driving miles from 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington are required to provide 9,750 rsf of additional warehouse space for a total of 15,110 [5360+9,750]. **Parking requirements are for an additional 50 secure stalls for locations greater than 50 driving miles from the Western Regional Center warehouse at 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington, for a total of 125-150 parking stalls (100 to be secured).
To be considered sites must be located within the greater Puget Sound area, including U.S. waterside properties North to Bellingham, West to Port Angeles, and South to the Columbia River, including Astoria, Oregon, along the Oregon coast to Newport, Oregon and Southeast to Portland, Oregon on the Willamette River.
Interest in receiving the Solicitation must be submitted in writing (e-mail or paper) and shall include: Name of the owning entity, name of contact person, address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. All interested parties should respond to this announcement no later than November 7, 2008, 4:00 PM Eastern Time (1:00PM Pacific Time). All responses shall be made to the following: Public Properties, LLC ATTN: Brad Seifert 509 7th Street, NW, 5th Floor Washington, DC 20004 Telephone: 202-654-7024 FAX: 202-654-7030 E-Mail:
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