Green Initatives
NOAA Small Boat Green Ideas & Practices
As an agency, NOAA aims to conserve and protect our natural resources. Part of this is being environmentally conscious in our small boat operations. The following are current practices and ideas from various NOAA small boat field sites who have implemented "green" practices in their daily operations.
Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Mississippi Laboratory, Pascagoula, MS
Wayne Hoggard has used the NOAA Green Grant program to install MyCelx bilge water filters in some of their boats. Read the short article from Maritime Reporter here.
Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Lake Michigan Field Station, Muskegon, MI
Dennis Donahue, Operations Manager of GLERL, has revolutionized his fleet to run on bio-based fuels and lubricants. Since 2006 they have operated petroleum-free, and the R/V Huron Explorer was the first US research ship to eliminate petrolum products. More information on GLERL's green initative can be found in the brocure: NOAA Green Ship Initiative. The NOAA News Release on the R/V Huron Exporer
NOAA Restoration Center
The Restoration Center uses human-powered craft (canoes, kayaks) to inspect restored shallow water habitats, oyster reefs, hard clam beds, and submerged aquatic vegetation beds. Petroleum free human power!
Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research, Beaufort, NC
Roger Mays, the Vessel Operations Coordinator for CCFHR, has compiled some notes and lessons learned on their efforts to go green.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Key West, FL
Chad Stolka, Maintenance Operations Specialist at FKNMS has many green initiatives in his shop and on his boats at FKNMS. He aims to have all the cleaning and servicing products at the Nancy Foster Center and vessel lubricants switched over to bio-based products.
NOAA Ship Nancy Foster, Charleston, SC
NOAA Ship Nancy Foster uses Bio-Ultimax 1000 from Renewable Lubricants, a bio-based hydraulic fluid in all their hydraulic applications.
James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory, Highlands, NJ
Northeast Fisheries Science Center's Line Office Small Boat Officer Peter Plantamura has submitted a NOAA Green Grant to get funding to convert his region's boats to become greener. Plans are underway to convert the R/V Nauvoo to all bio-based fuels, lube oil, and hydraulic oil.
Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, Oxford, MD
Jay Lewis, the Vessel Operations Coordinator for CCEHBR has compiled some notes on their efforts to go green.
Biodegradable Oils & Greases
Many manufacturers offer bio-based options to replace standard petroleum products.
- Biodegradable Hydraulic Fluids
- Mechanical Grease
- Anodes
