What are the risks, uncertainties, rewards and benefits of ship-breaking or ship recycling?

Those issues are to be addressed at a public forum scheduled from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, at the North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Ave. The forum will be hosted by the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, in partnership with the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology.

This is billed as the first public meeting resulting from inquiries to the port and private sector firms in the Coos Bay area about site availability for ship dismantling operations involving U.S. Maritime Administration-managed/U.S. Navy-owned vessels in the Suisun Bay, Calif. The ships are part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.

Participating in the forum will be representatives from the following Oregon state agencies: the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Occupational Safety & Health Division and the Department of State Lands. Additionally, a representative of a multi-jurisdictional task force, the Oregon Invasive Species Council, is to be in the group.

Portland State University Center for Lakes & Reservoirs and OIMB also are to be represented at the forum, along with the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

The intent of the forum is to discuss the environmental concerns and issues involved in the industry, examine the regulatory structure in place to protect the environment, and gain an overview of worker and workplace safety as it relates to handling various types of hazardous materials.

Question cards will be circulated so attendees can participate with questions about specific issues to the participant panel.