The world's first commercial-scale and grid-connected tidal stream generator located in Northern Ireland. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today issued the United State’s first-ever pilot project license for a renewable tidal energy project to be located in New York City’s East River.

The project, called the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy project or RITE project for short, will generate up to 1,050-kilowatts of electricity via NYC’s East River currents through turbine generators mounted on the riverbed.

“Issuing a pilot license for an innovative technology is a major step in the effort to help our country meet our renewable energy goals,” FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff said. “FERC’s pilot process is doing what it should: allow for exploration of new renewable technologies while protecting the environment.”

Despite a number of entities bidding for the license issue, NYC’s East River apparently fit the bill. In order to be eligible FERC says the project needs to be small, short-term and located in an environmentally non-sensitive area, among other things.

FERC first developed the pilot license process in 2008 in order to allow developers to test new hydrokinetic technologies (tidal, wave and inland) in order to determine appropriate sites for the technology and confirm its environmental effects. FERC says they have seen a growing interest in such projects since its inception, with a total of 3 entities with applications already submitted and another 9 in pre-stages of the application process.

FERC adds that it has issued an additional 100 preliminary permits to study the feasibility of developing a specific project.

The RITE project is owned by Verdant Power and will be operated for 10 years.

The private tourist helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff October 4th at around 3:30 pm.  The helicopter had 5 people on board, including the pilot, when it went down for unknown reasons.  Four were plucked from the water by rescuers that rushed to the scene.  The fifth passenger, a woman, was found about 90 minutes later and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was called in to assist with response and recovery efforts.  DCV Hayward, one of New York District’s three drift collection vessels, and SV Dobrin, a survey vessel, were on the scene to provide assistance.  DCV Hayward lifted the helicopter out of the water and eventually placed on the nearby pier.  Meanwhile, SV Dobrin performed hydropgraphic surveys to ensure the area was safe and deep enough for DCV Hayward to operate.

Today, US lawmakers called for a complete ban of tourist helicopters in Manhattan’s waterways.

With the Empire State Building as a backdrop, the crew of DCV Hayward gets ready to lift a downed helicopter out of the East River. (photo by Chris Gardner, New York District public affairs)

DCV Hayward lifts the downed helicopter out of the water. (photo by Chris Gardner, New York District public affairs)

DCV Hayward heads toward land to offload the helicopter. (photo by Chris Gardner, New York District public affairs)

Personnel from the New York City Police Department and the New York City Fire Department board DCV Hayward get a first look at a helicopter recovered from the bottom of the East River. (photo by Chris Gardner, New York District public affairs)

Photos via New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Flickr photostream

While the towers burned and collapsed on 9/11, a half million people were evacuated from Lower Manhattan by a civilian flotilla of ferries, tug boats and other vessels—the largest boatlift in history.

via captainrande