This petition demands a public meeting to discuss PHMCThe Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is the state agency that stewards the U.S. Brig Niagara and Erie Maritime Museum. The PHMC is responsible for the collect... and the Erie Maritime Museum’s plans and ability to maintain the U.S. Brig Niagara. The recent winter weather has brought volunteer concerns to life. We asked what happens if a storm rips the cover, or a seiche comes up. Within two weeks of Niagara being without captain or crew to care for her, we have had both weather events, plus ongoing snow and freezing temperatures. Will the ship be able to weather these storms? (Accuweather explanation of this weekend’s Lake Erie seiche) As you can see in this photo, ice has formed next to the ship where the torn plastic cover prevents the bubbler from working (bubblers are underwater propellers that move water to prevent ice formation).

News coverage of Niagara’s winter cover in tatters, and a smaller boat smashed.

At the Erie Maritime Museum’s private volunteer meetings on Jan 4th and 5th, Site Administrator Jim HallJames E. Hall is the Site Administrator for the Erie Maritime Museum and a PHMC staff member. He replaced Walter Rybka in December of 2020. His background includes 13 years with th... said that PHMC staff had been trained on how to do Brig checks (daily review of water in the bilge, electrical systems, and dock lines). He stated it as if that was all the care and maintenance Niagara needed for the three months of winter until a new captain was employed. At the outset of that first meeting Hall said there were no questions allowed, but by the end volunteers insisted on asking things like what would happen in cases like what we’re seeing this week – high winds, heavy snow, freezing temperatures, the rest of the winterizing tasks that still need to be completed (like antifreeze to prevent cracking of engines and marine head systems, aka toilets & waste tanks).

News coverage on volunteer concerns expressed at the meeting

There are only four staff at the Erie Maritime MuseumThe Erie Maritime Museum (EMM) is a cultural institution located in Erie, Pennsylvania, dedicated to preserving and showcasing the region's maritime heritage. Established in 1997, ..., none of whom have experience caring for a ship of this kind. One of them is about to be called up for short-term military service, dropping the number to three museum staff. They closed the museum on Saturday. It appears they couldn’t having the museum open to the public while also caring for the ship and building during seiche conditions.

The Erie Maritime Museum called for volunteers to help prepare Niagara for the weather on Friday morning and a handful attended for the sake of the ship. Yesterday PHMC sent an email to volunteers with reminders about upcoming trainings but absolutely no mention of how Niagara is after the storms and ongoing freezing temperatures. Did they get the winterizing of important systems done? Have engine blocks cracked in the cold weather? If winterizing of systems has not yet taken place, how long will the state bidding process take before the work can be completed? Did the dock lines or wood on the ship receive damage from the seiche conditions?

Is this what responsible PHMC stewardship looks like?

This petition for a public meeting is an attempt to gain more transparency and accountability around the state’s plans for Niagara and their ability to maintain her. We feel a public meeting is essential for getting answers to these questions.

Demand a public forum.

Contact your legislator directly.

Let’s get answers to our questions.

Don’t Give Up the Ship!

Katie Zawrotniak

Petition creator, fellow Niagara supporter