US Army Corpsof EngineersNew England DistrictVolume 43, No. 10

Yankee Engineer

Ranger Training ................................7Mitkevicius retires............................8Lefebvre Farewell............................9Cape Field Trips..............................10Cub Scouts Restore Habitat..........11Interpreter of the Year....................12Sandcastle Contest.......................12Water safety demonstration.....13Vermont In Lieu Fee Program......14

Founder'sDayceremonyPage 4

LeadershipTrainingPage 3

The New England District CoastalAmerica Team and their Rhode Islandpartners have not only restored a vitalaquatic habitat, but they have also takentop honors from the Coastal AmericaPartnership.

A Coastal America Award cer-emony honoring the South Coast Habi-

tat Restoration Team took place inSouth County, Rhode Island, June 8.The team, which is made up of NewEngland District team members andmembers of the Rhode Island ResourceManagement Council, received thehonor for their outstanding work on theNinigret Pond Eelgrass Restoration

project.Col. Philip T. Feir, New England

District Commander, joined the NewEngland District Team at the ceremony.Speakers included U.S. CongressmanJack Reed (Rhode Island), CharlieVandermoer, Refuge Manager; Vir-

Environmental project receives Coastal America AwardAerial view of dredging work at Ninigret Pond on March 26, 2005. Photo by Ted Truelow.

Continued on page 15

July 2009

2 YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009

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YANKEE ENGINEER is an authorized unofficial Army newspaper under provisions of AR 360-1 published monthly. Views and opinionsexpressed are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army. Contributions from readers are solicited, but publication depends onjudgment of the editor. No payment will be made for contributions. Published by the Public Affairs Office, New England District, U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, 696 Virginia Road, Concord MA 01742-2751, 978-318-8777. Printed by the offset method on recyclable paperby the Defense Printing Office in Boston, Mass. Circulation 1600. The YANKEE ENGINEER can be found on the World Wide Webat http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/news/yankee.htm

District Commander: Col. Philip T. FeirChief, Public Affairs: Larry B. Rosenberg

Editor: Ann Marie R. HarvieMedia Relations Officer: Timothy J. DuganPublic Affairs Specialist: Sally M. Rigione

Corps of Engineers to waive recreationfees Aug. 1-9 at its federal recreationareas across the nation

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that it will waive all day use feesfrom Aug. 1-9, 2009 at its more than 2,400 Corps-operated recreation sitesnationwide.

The waiver applies to day use fees collected at boat launches and swimmingbeach facilities. Fees for camping and camping related services and specializedfacilities or special events will not be waived.

“The Corps encourages Americans of all ages to take part in outdoor recreation.Our hope is to encourage increased use during this traditionally low use period, whichwill help individuals and local communities economically,” said Steve Stockton, theCorps’ Director of Civil Works.

State and local agencies and private partners who manage recreation facilitieson Corps lands are encouraged but not required to comply with the fee waiver.

The Corps is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-basedrecreation, hosting more than 350 million visitors per year at more than 400 lakes andriver projects. Many of these sites are located close to major metropolitan areas andprovide 4,500 miles of trails, 90,000 campsites, and 33 percent of all U.S. freshwaterfishing.

To find the nearest Corps of Engineers recreation site, please visitwww.CorpsLakes.us.

Federal Recreation Areas in New EnglandThere are numerous opportunities to enjoy recreation at the 31 federal flood

damage reduction reservoirs and the Cape Cod Canal in New England. Most areasfeature small lakes with facilities designed for day use such as picnicking, swimming,boating, fishing, and hunting. There are also a few facilities for overnight camping.

There are beaches and boat ramps available at reservoirs and lakes inMassachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont. For more informationgo to the Corps’ New England District web site at http://www.nae.usace.army.miland click “recreation” and select your state and location on the map to find out whatrecreation areas are available near you or go directly to the recreation webpage athttp://www.nae.usace.mil/recreati/recreati.htm. More information on what is of-fered at each location is available from the park manager listed on the webpage ofthe specific reservoir or lake of interest. (Public Affairs Press Release)

… to Joshua Levesque, Ed-ward MacDowell Lake, and hiswife, Tracy, on the birth of theirson, David William Levesque,June 24. He joins big brotherJacob in the family circle.…to the July through September2009 Team of the Quarter; the2009 Founders Day Commit-tee and Execution Team. Theconsensus of the attendees at theJune 29 Founders Day event wasthat is was well run, extremelyreasonable in price and efficientlyexecuted with excellent food quan-tity and quality.

… to Zina Cassulo-Henderson,Regulatory, and her husband BobHenderson, Resource Manage-ment, on the passing of Zina’sfather, Carl Cassulo, May 30....to Santos Lara, Sr., HumanResources and his wife, Lesley,on the passing of his mother,Maria Ignacia Lara, June 19.… to Robert J. DeSista, Regu-latory Division, and his family onthe passing of his father, JamesE. DeSista, June 14.

Congratulations

Sympathy

2009 Park RangerTraining attendees

YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009 3

District program turns employees into leadersAs part of the New England District’s

Leadership Development Program, FarrellMcMillan, Chief of Construction/Operations,and Human Resources Chief, Kim Kamin-ski-Donaher, facilitated three leadership ses-sions at Hodges Village Dam in June.

The McMillan/Kaminski-Donaher team first gave thetrainees an overview of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy ofNeeds and Situational leadership. According tobusinessballs.com, the motivational model was developed inthe 1940’s and 1950’s and concerns the responsibility ofleaders to provide a workplace environment that encouragesand enables employees to fulfill their own unique potential.

The Team then facilitated discussions on Team Devel-opment, Team Building, and Facilitation. During the trainingsession trainees were expected to work for their lunch,participating in the “caterpillar crawl,” supervised by StevePatchkofsky, lead coordinator for the sessions.

Six trainees stood on two wooden posts with ropehandles while three of their peers used teamwork to commu-nicate to them to get them to “walk” in unison from one sideof the parking lot to the other side where lunch was waiting.The walkers were not allowed to communicate in any wayand relied on the talkers to give them the simplest directionspossible to attain their goal. The trainees made it to the endof the parking lot and lunch was served.

Leadership sessions such as these are only a small partof the New England District Leadership Development Pro-gram (LDP). According to the LDP booklet, the program’sgoal is to prepare today’s employees for tomorrow’s leader-ship challenges. The program accomplishes this by develop-ing willing employees to take the challenge to develop theirleadership skills to their fullest potential.

The LDP is a two tier process that is based on the ArmyLeadership Principles, the BE-KNOW-DO-LEARN. AnyNew England District employee who meets admission re-quirements may apply for one of the eight Tier I slots that areavailable each fiscal year.

Applications are submitted to a selection panel andemployees are notified if they were selected soon after thepanel meets. Requirements include: permanent employ-ment; an NAE employee; and a positive endorsement fromthe applicant’s first line supervisor.

Employees who transfer to NAE who were already in anLDP program at their division/district may join the ongoingLDP session instead of having to wait until the followingfiscal year. The Tier I portion of the program takes approxi-

mately one year to complete. There are eight participants inthe current program.

Tier II is open to all participants who have successfullycompleted the Tier I session. Although Tier I participants arenot required to continue on to the next session, it is highlyencouraged that they do so. Tier II takes about one year tocomplete and there are currently seven trainees in thesession.The benefits of participating in the program arenumerous. According to the LDP booklet, students are:- Exposed to senior level leaders and the District’s strate-gic operating environment;- Positioned to take advantage of multi-functional relation-ship building;- Provided opportunities to apply newly gained leadershipskills and attributes;- Provided opportunities to participate in corporate initia-tives to improve the organization.

An internal SharePoint site with a wealth of informationon the program is available to interested employees. Formore information, go to http://nae-fs5im-46656/ldp/default.aspx.

Leadership Development trainees participate in the "caterpillar crawl"across the parking lot during the team building session.

Photo courtesy of the Leadership Development Program.

Special awards focus of Founder's Day ceremony4 YANKEE ENGINEER

July 2009

A downpour of rain didn’t dampenthe spirits of hearty New England Dis-trict employees when they gatheredunder the ceremonial tent to recognizeand be recognized for exceptional workand length of service on June 29 atCastle Park at Hanscom Air ForceBase. The gathering, called Founder’sDay here in New England, was incelebration of the 234th anniversary ofthe Corps of Engineers beginnings.

Steve Andon served as Master ofCeremonies for the official portion ofthe event. He welcomed the audienceand as is tradition in New England,recited the District’s proud History ofbeing the birthplace of the Corps ofEngineers. Col. Richard Gridley, thefirst Chief of Engineers, successfullydesigned and supervised the construc-tion of an earth work on Breeds Hill,overlooking Boston Harbor, in Massa-chusetts. This first Army engineeringaction occurred on June 16, 1775, provedimpenetrable against British bombard-ment during a fierce battle the follow-ing day.

After Andon’s remarks, RobertByrne, Chief, Programs, stepped in forDistrict Commander, Col. Philip Feir,who was unable to attend the cer-emony. “As a District, it has been anexciting 12 months of work completion,

and with the workload we’ve beengiven under the American Recoveryand Reinvestment Act of 2009 we willbe busier than ever on project comple-tions through this year and next,” hesaid.

Despite the challenge of the heavyworkload, Byrne said he is confidentthat the District team will complete thework in a timely manner. “I know wewill continue to face some challenges inthe coming months and years, but Iknow as a District we can find solutionsto all of them,” he said.

Byrne thanked Engineering/Plan-ning and the 2009 Founder’s Day com-

mittee for their hard work in puttingtogether the day’s events. He re-minded the audience that New EnglandDistrict employees are still deployedoverseas – more than we’ve had in awhile – and that Lt. Col. Stephen Lefe-bvre, former Deputy District Engineerwho is currently stationed overseas,would love some more company. “Hesays if you come, he’ll personally cometo greet you,” said Byrne.

The Programs Chief talked aboutthe many accomplishment, that the Dis-trict has achieved already this year toinclude breaking ground on the MillRiver/Mill Pond Aquatic RestorationProgram and the beginning of the newReserve Center in Ayer, Mass. Heconcluded by wishing everyone a safeand enjoyable summer.

During the awards portion of theceremony, Janette Crawford receivedthe Commander’s Award for CivilianService for her continued leadership inthe successful budget execution andsubmission for the Thames, UpperConnecticut and Merrimack RiverBasins. “Through long hours, and atconsiderable personal sacrifice, Ms.Crawford provided outstanding bud-get, fiscal management, and adminis-trative leadership and support to sev-eral field organizations during extendedabsences of their employees and afterRobert Byrne presents Jan Crawford with the Commander's Award for Civilian Service.

Robert Byrne filled in for Col. Feir during the official ceremony.Photos by C.J. Allen

YANKEE ENGINEER July 2009 5

retirement of key administrative per-sonnel,” read the citation.

A group of New England Districtemployees received the Secretary ofDefense Medal for the Global War onTerrorism for deploying oversees toassist the Corps in its mission. “Themedal symbolizes the honor andachievement of civilians with the De-partment of Defense to defend free-dom against danger that may developon foreign soil,” read the citation.

Employees who received the medalwere Jack Keenan, Jerry Nunziato,Ken Paton, Bob Hanacek, Larry Oliver,Jennifer Samela, Sean Dolan, AdamBurnett, Don Wood, Chris Lindsay andMaryellen Iorio.

Christopher Way, Operations Man-ager, Naugatuck River Basin, is the2009 Supervisor of the Year recipient.“The guidance he has provided hasresulted in the hiring of the first femaleProject Manager in the basin, hiring ofa third female ranger, and the continualhiring of females for summer staffingwithin the basin,” read the citation.Way was also praised for being anadvocate for career development aswell as a strong proponent for theLeadership Development Program, al-ternate work schedules, flexible leaveand the Equal Employment Opportu-nity Program. Jackie DiDomenico,EEO Officer, accepted the award forWay, who was unable to attend theceremony.

Human Resources Santos Laraand Pablo Feliciano presented the NewEngland District Length of ServiceAwards for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and40 years. Names of the recipients canbe found in the annual Founder’s Daybrochure.

Tony Mackos, Acting Chief ofEngineering/Planning, thanked theFounder’s Day Committee for puttingtogether the picnic and after ceremonyactivities. He concluded the officialceremony by listing the different activi-ties taking place that day. As if on cue,the clouds parted and the sun came outfor attendees to enjoy the barbecuelunch and the other planned activities.

Global War on Terrorism medal recipients.

Five years Ten years

15 years 20 years

25 years 30 years

35 years Global War on Terrorism Medal

6 YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009

New England District team mem-bers, family and retirees celebrated the234th founding of the Corps of Engi-neers with a barbecue lunch and out-door activities for all ages during theDistrict’s annual Founder’s Day cel-ebration.

This year’s festivities took placeJune 29 at Hanscom Air Force Base’sCastle Park. Over 112 people signedup for the lunch; however, many moreparticipated in the day’s activities.

The official Founder’s Day Awardsceremony kicked off the day-long cel-ebration. Horseshoes and Volleyballwas available for whoever wanted toparticipate or kill time before lunchimmediately followed the ceremony.

Other events and activities sched-uled for the day included a militarypolice dog demonstration, fire truckdemonstration and basketball and soft-ball.

Children’s activities included ascavenger hunt, face painting and amoonwalk. Smaller attendees alsoenjoyed playing on the Castle Parkswings and slides.

For a small fee and a voluntarydonation of a side dish or dessert, eventattendees enjoyed a barbecue lunch,which was personally prepared by keyDistrict personnel and senior staff mem-bers.

The District’s “Iron Chefs” wereBill Hubbard, John Kennelly and his

son Matt Kennelly, Raimo Liias, TonyMackos and his son, Chris Mackos.The chefs’ menu included chicken, hotdog, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggieburgers, soda, water, and watermelon.

Retirees who joined the Districtteam for the annual picnic were FrankTurner, Fred Shannon, Joe Bocchino,Jack Caffrey, Charlie Coe, ForrestKnowles, and Robert Gavreau.

The Engineering/Planning team andthe Founder’s Day Committee hostedthis year’s event. Committee mem-bers this year were Tony Mackos(Chair) Kathy Bucciarelli, ValerieCappola, Bettina Chaisson, CarolCharette, Gladys Leone, KevinMcKelvey, Joshua Mulvey, AlexineRaineri, Cori Rose, and Irene Watts.

Good food, activities, highlight Founder's Day picnic

Chefs cook lunch on a portable grill; Bill Mullen takes aim during horseshoes; Nurse Linda Lindell relaxes during the picnic.

Small attendees participate in a wheelbarrow race; firefighters show off their equipment to picnic attendees; retirees and current employees enjoy eachother's company.

Photos by C.J. Allen

Mary Christopher paints the face of one of the picnic attendees; George Claflin lends a hand during a Tug-of-War game; Hanscom military dogshows handler he means business.

YANKEE ENGINEER July 2009 7

To ensure that their new employees are knowledgeablein all aspects of their job, the New England District Interpre-tive Services and Outreach Program Committee, RiverBasin Managers, Park Managers, Senior Park Rangers andothers conducted the annual Summer Park Ranger Training.

The training was held June 20-21 at the Department ofDefense Executive Management Training Center inSouthbridge, Massachusetts. Forty-two summer Park Rang-ers and five permanent Park Rangers who needed to berecertified as OCAT (Oleoresin Capsicum Aerosol - PepperSpray) Training Instructors attended the event.

The training was information-packed from start to finish.Farrell McMillan, Joe Faloretti and Joan Gardner kickedeverything off by presenting a basic overview of the Corpsof Engineers and the New England District.

Marci Montrose talked about the many roles of a Corpsof Engineers Park Ranger during her training time slot. BillNorman gave a briefing and slide presentation on navigationin New England with particular emphasis on the Cape CodCanal.

After a lunch break, the rest of the afternoon wasdedicated to the important subject of interpretation. Subpartsof the topic included an introduction, formal and informalcontacts; activities and program development; how to use theuniversal watershed model and building dam models forprograms; and ideas for programs that work. Jason Tremblay,Montrose and Karen Hoey ran the session and then after theformal presentation, took questions and suggestions from theaudience.

Steven Patchkofsky concluded the first day’s trainingwith an after dinner exhibit of a water safety trailer, filled withvarious essential water safety equipment.

Special guest, Chief Park Ranger Chris Arthur of LakeSidney Lanier, Mobile District, took the instruction lead on thesecond day. Arthur is also one of the Corps of EngineersPROSPECT National Visitor Assistance Course instruc-tors. He began the day with a discussion on the professionalappearance of a Park Ranger and a Visitor AssistanceProgram update.

Safety Officer Sean Dolan joined Arthur for an in-depthlecture on Visitor Assistance/Visitor and Ranger safety, RiskManagement, Confined Spaces and accident and incidentreporting.

Bradley Clark, Jennifer Samela, Zach Koziol, StevePatchkofsky and Montrose assisted Arthur during the OCAT(Pepper Spray) Program. During this session, some of thetraining attendees allowed themselves to be sprayed with thechemical so that they could experience what the chemical feltlike in their eyes and realize the importance of using pepperspray responsibly. Volunteer “victims” washed their eyesout soon after the experience.

Arthur also held an extensive personal protection seg-ment in which attendees practiced self defense moves andexercises. He and the other instructors then went throughsome visitor assistance role playing scenarios, as well asdemonstrated the fine art of Verbal Judo. At the end of thetraining event, attendees were given the opportunity forquestions and answers and complete evaluations of thetraining. The evaluations and an after action review will beused to improve the training in 2010.

In addition to the training the Summer Rangers receivedin Southbridge, they also had to take classes in DefensiveDriving, First Aid and CPR that was provided from theirvarious River Basin Offices.

Summer Park Rangers receive training in Southbridge

Above left: A summer Park Ranger volun-teers gets a taste of pepper spray duringRanger Training. "Victims" find relieffrom pepper spray by washing out their eyesand sitting in front of a fan. Steve Patchkofskytalks water safety to the trainees. From left:Dam model building was part of the trainingas was self defense.

Photos by Kevin Burke

8 YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009

K.C. Mitkevicius, Project Management, made the deci-sion to retire in June after over 39 years of faithful, federalservice.

To celebrate his career and to wish him well, 35 familymembers, friends, and co-workers gathered in the Massa-chusetts/Connecticut Conference Rooms on June 23 for apizza party.

Mark Otis served as Master of Ceremonies. In additionto welcoming attendees, Otis also presented Mitkevicius witha gift card to EMS from everyone who attended.

Bill Scully, who represented the Executive Office, pre-sented him with the Commander’s Award For CivilianService for his dedication to the Corps of Engineers through-out his distinguished career. Scully also presented Mitkeviciuswith his official retirement certificate and pin and wished himwell in his retirement.

Prior to joining the New England District, where he spentmost of his career, Mitkevicius spent 10 years with theEurope District. He is a Vietnam Veteran and served withthe 3rd Marine Division, Chu Lai Vietnam, U.S. MarineCorps.

During his career, Mitkevicius worked on many highprofile projects to include the Charles George Superfund Site,New Bedford Superfund Site, and the General Electric/Housatonic River Project which received the 2007 Build

America Award from the Associated General Contractorsof America. The award honors excellence in the constructionindustry and projects that exhibit the best in project manage-ment, innovation in construction techniques and sensitivity tothe environment.

Family members that attended Mitkevicius’ pizza partywere his daughter Anna, mother Elena Vieskalnis, sister-in-law Amy Corbett and friend Linda Harris.

Joe Bocchino, retired Executive Assistant, representedthe District’s retirees and welcomed Mitkevicius into theDistrict’s retired community.

K.C. Mitkevicius receives his Commander's Award for Civilian service from Bill Scully (center) and Mark Otis.

Mitkevicious retires with over 39 years of service

K.C. Mitkevicius poses with the four ladies in his life.Photos by Brian Murphy

9YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009

When New England District em-ployees retire or move on to otherpositions, there is almost always somesort of goodbye event to wish the per-son well and to let them know that onceyou are a part of the New EnglandDistrict family, you’re always a part ofthe new England District family.

This is especially true for theDistrict’s military family members whenthey retire or move on to their nextassignment. One such event, a fare-well party to mark the transfer of one ofthe District’s military members, washeld for Lt. Col. Stephen Lefebvre andhis family on June 19 at the MinutemanClub at Hanscom Air Force Base. Lt.Col. Lefebvre, who served as theDeputy District Engineer and beforethat the Engineering Technical Lead onDistrict-driven projects at the Massa-chusetts Military Reservation project,accepted an assignment to deploy over-seas to aid the Corps of Engineers in itsOverseas Contingency Operations.

Approximately 65 people gatheredat the evening event to say farewell tothe native New Englander and wishhim well in his next assignment.

Steve Andon, New EnglandDistrict’s Executive Assistant, servedas Master of Ceremonies for the party.He presented a minuteman statue toLt. Col. Lefebvre on behalf of the

District.District Commander, Col. Philip

Feir, presented Lt. Col. Lefebvre withthe Meritorious Service Medal for ex-ceptionally meritorious performance ofduties while serving as Deputy Com-mander for the New England District.“Lt. Col. Lefebvre’s commitment toexcellence and public service enhancedthe safety of the region’s citizens andthe stature of the District throughoutNew England,” read the citation. “Hisattention to detail during the executionof daily operations and his hands onapproach to mentoring young leadershas made the District more efficientand focused on mission execution.”

Jerry Nunziato, Security Office,presented Lt. Col. Lefebvre with acopy of his favorite DVD entitled, “TheWarriors” and a bag of popcorn toenjoy with the movie. Retired Execu-tive Assistant Joe Bocchino, who rep-resented the Society of American Mili-tary Engineers, presented the Lieuten-ant Colonel with a pewter mug with anengineer castle on it in appreciation ofhis support to the organization. DianeRay, Regulatory, presented the guestof honor with a framed print out copy ofRegulatory’s Performance Measuresfor Fiscal Year 2009. All the measureswere green, meaning all the measureswere achieved.

“It has been a great experiencehere at the District and I feel veryfortunate to have been able to spendfour years here with all of you,” said Lt.Col. Lefebvre. “This is truly a greatorganization with so many professionaland dedicated folks. I have met somany wonderful people along the wayand feel privileged to have served withyou. I will bring many fond memoriesof New England District with me.”

Mrs. Shelley Lefebvre, the DeputyCommander’s wife, received a flower-ing plant in appreciation for supportingher husband as he did the nation’sbusiness. Lt. Col. Lefebvre’s son re-ceived a District coin from Col. Feir foralso supporting his Dad.

Lt. Col. Lefebvre is no stranger tooverseas deployment. Prior to comingto the New England District, he wasdeployed to Iraq for one year and servedas the Gulf Region South DistrictCommander’s liaison to the Multina-tional Division Southeast.

Despite his familiarity with the Gulf,Lt. Col. Lefebvre wouldn’t mind a littleNew England company if anyone fromthe District wanted to drop by for anoverseas deployment. “I would gladlywelcome any six to 12 month visitors atmy next duty station,” he said with asmile. “You should be able to find mein the global e-mail.”

Deputy District Engineer says farewell to New England District

Lt. Col. Stephen Lefebvre opens his gift fromSAME. Tyler Lefebvre examines his father'saward.

Photos by Brian Murphy

10 YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009

First and third grade students from Mullen Hall School inFalmouth, Mass., paid a visit to the Cape Cod Canal as a yearend field trip. In fact, Mullen Hall ended the Canal AreaSchool Field Trip Season for 2009. The field trips are apopular part of the Canal’s outreach program.

Prior to the children coming to the Cape Cod Canal, ParkRangers visited the school to give the students a 45-minuteoverview of Canal history and what they could expect at thefacility. They were also provided with activity books to workon in class in preparation for their visit.

About 122 students and adults arrived the morning ofJune 17 for a half day of fun and learning. The children weredivided into groups and rotated through the different aspectsof the tour, which are guided by Cape Cod Canal ParkRangers. Students entered the Ranger Station theater toreceive an overview about shipping on the Cape Cod Canaland learned all about the Marine Traffic Control Centerthrough PowerPoint presentations. During the session, thechildren participated in a Marine Traffic Control exercisewhere they became “Marine Traffic Controllers” for the

Cape Cod Canal field trip a treat for Cape school kidsStudents from the Mullen Hall School pause for a picture before making their way home from their Cape Cod Canal field trip.

Students participate in "Tugs to the Rescue!" quiz and try to capture the flag with each correct answer. Photos by Kevin Burke

YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009 11

day. They were handed log sheets andwere given information by a “virtualcaptain” to put down on their sheets.

After the exercise, their ranger guidetook them to a viewing room to observethe Marine Traffic Control Center. Whilethere, the children were shown the equip-ment to include all the camera monitorsthat line the canal and got to ask ques-tions about the Center.

After visiting the Marine TrafficControl Center, the children then madetheir way outside to receive a guidedtour of the tugboat, “Manamet,” pro-vided by Park Ranger Bob Jackson.

On the “Manamet” they got to seeall of the equipment and learned aboutthe very important role Corps vesselshave on the Canal.

The tour goes through the entire107-foot vessel to include visits to theengineer room, wheel house, galley,mess, Captain’s quarters, and state-rooms.

After a picnic lunch that the childrenbrought from home, the Mullen Hallstudents participated in an hour long quizgame entitled, “Tugs to the Rescue!”John Pribilla gave the quiz to the stu-dents. Students are quizzed not only onwhat they learned at the Canal that day,but also on the information the ParkRangers provided during their school

visit. The children, who were still di-vided into groups, maneuvered througha course of traffic cones. Every correctanswer was rewarded by allowing thechildren to advance to the next cone.The first group to get to the end of thecourse and capture the flag wins.

All of the teams received a certifi-cate of achievement at the end of thequiz, but the winners received “Win-ners” certificates to mark their accom-

plishment.In 2009, the Cape Cod Canal Out-

reach Program accommodated 20 Capearea schools with approximately 1,500students visiting the Canal.

Roger Hagen is head of the CapeCod Canal Outreach Program. SeniorPark Rangers who also participate in theOutreach Program and then train thesummer Park Rangers are John Pribilla,Bob Jackson, and Kevin Burke.

Cub Scouts help restore riparian habitatStory and photo by Amanda SmithWildlife Management InternUpper Connecticut River Basin

On June 2, Gary Pelton, the Envi-ronmental Resource Specialist stationedin the Upper Connecticut River BasinOffice, and his interns helped six CubScouts from Pack 258 out of Spring-field, Vermont earn their Environmen-tal Conservation Merit Badge.

Together they planted over 100trees south of Stoughton Pond next tothe Black River at North SpringfieldLake. The area had been covered byan invasive plant known as Japanese

Knotweed which had been mostlycleared out during the previous threeyears. The remaining knotweedpatches are to be removed later thisseason.

Planting trees fulfilled a part ofthe Cub Scout’s Environmental Con-servation Badge involving erosion. Inthe riparian habitat, the trees not onlymaintain the integrity of the soil butalso provide the final necessary com-ponents of a thriving ecosystem: shel-ter and food for animals.

The new trees were a mix ofsumac, dogwood and elderberry, se-lected to match the trees found in thevicinity.

Park Ranger Gary Pelton assists a Boy Scoutplant a tree.

Students ask Park Ranger Bob Jackson questions during their tour of the tugboat, "Manamet."

12 YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009

Sturbridge, East Brimfield andWestville Lake Park Ranger TomChamberland has been awarded theNew England District’s “Interpreter ofthe Year” award. Chamberland wasnominated by Buffumville Lake ParkRanger Jean Hixson, Chair of the CorpsDistrict Interpretive Committee. Theaward was presented by Col. Peter A.DeLuca Commander, North AtlanticDivision Engineer July 2, during his visitto the New England District andWestville Lake.

The New England District annuallyrecognizes one of its Park Rangers foroutstanding work in interpreting not onlythe day to day work and mission of theCorps, but seeks to recognize those whoreach out with special programs andinitiatives.

“Tom’s nomination was an easy fitwith the guidelines we look for in thisaward” said Park Ranger Jean Hixson.“Tom has demonstrated not only hisability to meet locally with school groupsinterpreting the Corps mission and pro-moting our water safety message, buthis initiative in recreational trails, and onhis becoming a resource to other parkrangers on recreation accessibility fortrails and outdoor environments as wellas seeking to assist a local non profit

group in promoting a 60 mile regionaltrail effort that can connect four otherCorps projects, along with his volunteer-ing to serve on a newly formed nationalad hock group to promote and expandsafe water trails. Tom has clearly dem-onstrated what an interpreter of the yearis all about.”

Chamberland said that he waspleased and surprised when presentedthe award. “I value my work with theCorps, as every day I have the opportu-nity to inform, educate and improve thelives of school children, and families,

when they can get outdoors and enjoythe natural resources of our area,” hesaid. “Providing all folks a healthy placeto recreate, and the ability to learn a littlesomething along the way is a great job tohave. I am honored to receive this rec-ognition from my peers.”

Chamberland’s nomination will bepresented to the Division level for con-sideration and if successful, forwardedto the National Level for the Hiram MChittenden Award, the Corps of Engi-neers annual outstanding interpreteraward. (Westville Lake Press Release)

Chamberland named District's Interpreter of the Year

Col. Peter DeLuca presents Park Ranger Tom Chamberland with the New England District’sInterpreter of the Year award at Westville Lake, while Tom’s wife Diane looks on.

Sandcastles, water safety and Bobber!

Photo by Park Ranger Matt Coleman

Story by Park Ranger Karen HoeyElm Brook Park

Park Rangers at Elm Brook Parkhosted their 15th annual sand castlecompetition, July 11.

Park Rangers Deborah Lyons, Jes-sica Whitmore and Joseph Kinduris en-couraged the beach goers to enter thesandcastle competition for a little fun inthe sun, which also gave them the op-portunity to share information on watersafety.

Bobber the Water Safety Dog wason hand to talk with visitors and help thePark Rangers emphasize the impor-tance of water safety. The competition

came at an excellent time as the beachwas overflowing with people due to thehot sun that day.

The competition was fierce and 16sandcastles entered the competition;however, as with any contest there couldbe only one winner.

With the help of Bobber, the rangersselected this year’s winner as 3 year oldKaleb who named his creation “TwoRocks and Two Bridges.” With the helpof his mother, he intricately used rocks toline the wall of his castle, and built fourlarge bridges within his fort.

Each participant was given a watersafety coloring book and a Frisbee. Forwinning first prize, little Kaleb got anadditional prize of a shovel and pail.A competing sandcastle at Elm Brook Park.

Elm Brook Park photo

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Seamoor Steals Show at Water Safety DemonstrationStory and photos byPark Ranger Natalie McCormackand Matthew Cummings

Park Rangers Matthew Cummingsand Natalie McCormack from theFranklin Falls Dam assisted Tiltonfirefighter’s with presenting water safetyinformation at Tilton, New Hampshire’sOld Home Day Festival, June 28. Theevent, which took place at the PinesRecreation Area, behind the Pines Com-munity Center is held yearly to celebratethe community and its outstanding mem-bers. Approximately 300 people at-tended the event.

The Park Rangers utilized theDistrict’s water safety trailer andSeamoor, the Corps Water SafetyDragon to promote water safety. Thetrailer is a fun interactive tool whichassists Corps employees with teachingchildren about water safety. It has fea-tures such as a television on which toplay informative videos, a prize wheelthat has questions to test the knowledgeof the participants, and plenty of hand-outs, brochures, and coloring books onwater safety. With the aid of the trailer,Cummings and McCormack demon-

strated how to properly wear a lifejacketand handed out the activity books onswimming and boating safety.

In addition to distributing importantwater safety information, the rangersalso set up some fun interactive activi-ties, with the water maze being the mostpopular. The game required partici-pants to navigate through a network ofshowering water while wearing distor-

tion goggles. Thus demonstrating theadverse affects alcohol has on anindividual’s perception when participat-ing in water related activities. Someparticipants tried harder then others,preferring to cool off during the hot day.

Yet, it was the robotic water safetydragon, Seamoor, who stole the show.Seamoor cruised around in his watersafety boat interacting with the childrenand attracting them towards the watersafety demonstrations. This lovablecharacter showed his mischievous sidewhen he squirted the unsuspecting audi-ence with his water sprayer. He alsotaunted spectators with flashing lightsand sirens. Needles to say, the childrenadored him.

In addition to the Corps water safetytrailer, Belknap County’s own ThreeRivers W.E.T Team demonstrated wa-ter rescue techniques using throw bagsand a temporary reservoir. The ThreeRivers W.E.T Team is a group of spe-cially trained volunteers and emergencyprofessionals from the county who spe-cialize in swift water rescues on NewHampshire streams and rivers. Theirdemonstration gave children the oppor-tunity to practice throwing a bag out to astranded victim.

Seamoor the Water Safety Dragon makes a new friend at the Old Home Day Festival.

Park Rangers Natalie McCormack and Matthew Cummings stand ready to talk water safety at thefestival.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New EnglandDistrict has received a prospectus dated June 2009 for an In-Lieu Fee (ILF) Program covering the state of Vermont. TheCorps solicited public comments through July 30, on theprospectus. The sponsor is Ducks Unlimited.

If the prospectus is deemed sufficient, the ILF programwill be established through the development of an ILF instru-ment to be signed by the sponsor, the Corps, and otheragencies which choose to do so. The process will follow 33CFR 332, Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of AquaticResources (“Mitigation Rule”). The Mitigation Rule waspublished in the Federal Register on April 10, 2008.

The ILF program would provide an alternative to permit-tee-responsible mitigation if it is deemed appropriate duringthe review process for proposed unavoidable impacts autho-rized under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. It would alsoprovide an alternative compensation type for Civil Worksprojects needing compensation for impacts to aquatic re-sources as well as providing a resource for use in resolvingenforcement cases under Section 404 and Section 10. Theentire prospectus, titled “Prospectus for a Vermont StatewideIn Lieu Fee Program,” is available on the Corps website alongwith the public notice.

The decision whether to authorize the sponsor to proceedto the next step of developing a draft ILF instrument will bebased on the Corps’ determination of the potential of theproposed ILF program to provide compensatory mitigation foractivities authorized by the Department of Army permits. TheCorps has determined that this prospectus is complete in thatit includes the following: the objectives of the proposed ILFprogram; how the ILF program will be established andoperated; the proposed service areas; the general need forand technical feasibility of the ILF program; the proposedownership arrangements and long-term management strate-gies for the ILF project sites; the qualifications of the sponsorrelated to the ability to successfully complete the types ofmitigation projects that will be proposed; a compensationplanning framework; and a description of the ILF programaccount.

The Corps is solicited comments from the public; Federal,state, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and otherinterested parties in order to consider and evaluate theimpacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received willbe considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whetherto allow the sponsor to proceed to develop a draft ILFinstrument. The public notice, with more detailed informationand a copy of the prospectus, can be reviewed online at theCorps’ New England District website http://www.nae.usace.army.mil. Select Regulatory/Permitting andthen weekly public notices.

Corps of Engineers receives prospectus proposing anIn-Lieu Fee Program covering state of Vermont

The tall ship HMS BOUNTY sailsunder the Railroad Bridge andthrough the Cape Cod Canal to makeits way to the Sail Boston Event, July6. About half a dozen tall shipspassed through the canal on theirway to Boston that day. (Photo byKevin Burke)

Just sailing through

by Timothy DuganPublic Affairs

YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 2009 15

ginia Tippie, Director, Coastal America; Grover Fugate CRMCDirector; Michael Tikoian, CRMC Chair; and Laura Furgione,NOAA Assistant Administrator.

President Barack Obama sent a letter of congratulationsto the team for their outstanding work in restoring a vital partof Rhode Island, which Col. Feir presented to each teammember. “This award recognizes outstanding partnershipsthat make a significant contribution toward the restoration andprotection of our nation’s coastal environment,” read theletter. “It is the only environmental award of its kind given bythe White House. I applaud and support you in your effortsto bring together collective resources to meet common goalsand better our coastal environment.”

According to the New England District’s Coastal AmericaTeam Leader Bill Hubbard, Ninigret Pond’s troubles begandecades ago. “In 1952, the state of Rhode Island widened anddeepened the natural tidal inlet to Ninigret Pond to create theCharlestown Breachway, with stone jetties constructed alongeither side in order to maintain the breachway for navigation,”he said. “The construction of the jetties created a naturalfunnel effect that deposited large amount of sand form theocean inside the pond. Over the years, the once plentifuleelgrass beds covering the pond bottom were buried.”

Ninigret Pond is one part of the larger South Coast

Habitat Restoration Project, which included restoring 57acres of eelgrass in three coastal lagoons, 40 of which werein Ninigret Pond.

The tidal delta in the pond was dredged for a betterenvironment for the eelgrass to regrow. “Natural recruit-ment and limited seeding has already added tens of acres ofeelgrass to the dwindling stocks of submerged aquatic vegeta-tion in the Northeast,” he said.

According to Hubbard, the project is progressing muchsooner and much better than expected. Work on the projectbegan in 1997 and eelgrass growth has exceeded projectexpectations. The team anticipates that eelgrass meadowswill cover the entire restoration area within a few years.

The project has been a collaborative effort between theNew England District, the RI CRMC, with the RI Departmentof Environmental Management, the University of RhodeIsland, the Salt Ponds Coalition, and the Rhode Island townsof South Kingstown, Charlestown and Westerly.

District team members who received the award wereChristopher Hatfield, Todd Randall, Lawrence Oliver, MauriceBeaudoin, Timothy Rezendes, and Chris Turek.

New England District teams are very familiar with theCoastal America Award, having received it in 2005 for theLonsdale Marsh Restoration Project in Rhode Island and in2003 for the Smelt Hill Dam project in Maine.

Continued from page 1

Environmental project receives Coastal America Award

Sen. Jack Reed with Chris Turek, Maurice Beaudoin, Chris Hatfield, Laura Furgione, Todd Randall, Timothy Rezendes and Col. Philip Feir duringthe Coastal America Award ceremony.

Photo courtesy of Coastal America

YANKEE ENGINEERJuly 200916

Dredging up the past . . .

Public Affairs OfficeNew England DistrictU.S. Army Corps of Engineers696 Virginia RoadConcord, MA 01742-2751 Meter Code 40

First ClassU.S. Postage

PaidConcord, MA

Permit No. 494

Bill Scully and District Commander Col. Brian Osterndorf unveil the Distinguished Civilian Gallery wall thatfeatures John Craig during the Founder's Day ceremony on June 27, 2001.