USCG Northeast Ice Breaking Season Begins
Operation Reliable Energy for Northeast Winters (RENEW) is its region-wide effort to ensure Northeast communities have the security, supplies, energy, and emergency resources they need all winter.
The U.S.Coast Guard kicked off its ice breaking season on Dec. 18, saying winter's cold temperatures are anticipated to impact every port, waterway, and harbor in the Northeast, and that Operation Reliable Energy for Northeast Winters (RENEW) is its region-wide effort to ensure Northeast communities have the security, supplies, energy, and emergency resources they need all winter.
During the Coast Guard's 2017-2018 winter ice breaking season, the Coast Guard will conduct ice breaking operations for several reasons, with the priorities being:
- Ports and waterways/search and rescue
- Urgent response to vessels, addressing situations with a high probability of becoming hazardous
- Exigent community services, supporting communities that have need for fuel, food, and medical supplies, and assist in preventing or easing flood conditions
- Facilitation of navigation to meet "reasonable demands of commerce" and replace aids to navigation with special ice buoys that are designed to ride underneath ice floes and remain on location
- Other missions, including crew training and proficiency, research and development, and science missions