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Shhh….Beluga Whales don’t like noise

Beluga Whale

The MSB has issued an RFP for the additional repairs to the Port MacKenzie dock.

18-100B: PORT MACKENZIE CELL DOCK REPAIRS PHASE II

Issue Date:
February 23, 2018 10:15 am
Pre-Bid:
March 07, 2018 11:30 am in the Port Mackenzie Building
Sealed Bid Due:
April 03, 2018 02:30 pm
Sealed Bids Opened:
April 03, 2018 02:30 pm in the Purchasing DivisonBid Description: The Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB) is requesting bids from interested contractors to repair the damaged cells of the dock at Port Mackenzie. The project involves, but is not limited to, excavation and reconditioning, import of borrow material, removing damaged sheet piles and other piles, installing new sheet piles and other piles, removing and replacing cap beam and railing, and installing cover plates.

Included in the attachments is the following letter from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regarding precautions that must be taken during this project. 

So, construction companies bidding on this project need to be aware of the restrictions and need to make sure they hire a PSO.
A PSO is a “Protected Species Observer” – i.e. a person who is able to “accurately identify and distinguish species of Alaska marine mammals.”
The PSO must be present before and during all in-water construction activities “and will have no other duty than to watch for and report on events related to marine mammals.”
The PSO will scan the area (the zone) for the presence of marine mammals for 30 minutes prior to the start of pile-driving…and will continuously scan the 1.5 mile radius exclusion zone to ensure that marine mammals do not enter it.  If any marine mammals are present, pile-driving and construction removal activities must stop.
Also, there is complicated math re: the level of sound allowed in the zone due to the whales.