Denise Krepp

Private Consultant, Professor

K. Denise Rucker Krepp is a homeland security, transportation, and energy expert who began her career as an active duty Coast Guard officer in 1998. After September 11th, Ms. Krepp was part of the team that created the Transportation Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Revenue Cutter Service and the Civil War

By Denise Krepp 2018-05-07 13:56:00

The Maritime Executive recently published an essay about the Revenue Cutter Service operations during the Civil War. The service is an ancestor agency of today’s Coast Guard, and like other American institutions, it was split apart by the conflict....

Interior Department Awards Maritime Heritage Grants

By Denise Krepp 2017-07-21 12:43:49

On July 7, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced the recipients of the 2016 Maritime Heritage Grants. Twenty-seven entities located in thirteen states were awarded $1.7 million in grant funding. Recipients include the Naval Historical Foundation, which will...

EU Leads the Way for Ship Recycling

By Denise Krepp 2017-05-24 20:28:55

Ask someone in the United States what happens to ocean-going ships at the end of their service life and they’ll likely describe National Geographic pictures of ships on beaches in some foreign country, with sandal-clad workers using hammers and cutting torches...

What Happens to Vessels Named After Heroes?

By Denise Krepp 2016-12-21 20:35:06

In less than a month, Donald Trump will become President of the United States, Elaine Chao will replace Anthony Foxx at the Department of Transportation and General Mattis will stride through the Pentagon corridors as Secretary of Defense. As a...

Transparency Needed in Government Ship Sales

By Denise Krepp 2016-06-02 15:09:59

Last week, I shared with readers that the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the agency that auctions off obsolete government vessels, does not track the international wires used to pay for them, a requirement of federal law. The Department of...

MARAD: Following Maersk's Lead on Ship Recycling

By Denise Krepp 2016-02-23 18:31:13

Last week, Maersk announced that it will be working with shipyards in Alang, India, to create responsible recycling programs. I'm disappointed that Maersk vessels will be dismantled in India instead of the United States. At that same time, however, I'm...

Environmental Rules Don't Apply to the Federal Government

By Denise Krepp 2015-08-27 18:01:24

It's amazing what a person can discover if one is willing to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and wait two years for the federal government to respond. Treasures include General Services...

Where did the Maritime Heritage Grant Money Go? - Part 3

By Denise Krepp 2015-07-10 10:20:07

Unravelling what happened to the former Coast Guard Cutter STORIS has been time-consuming process. Jon Ottman, who successfully nominated the vessel for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, first started submitting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)...

Where did the Maritime Heritage Grant Money Go? - Part 2

By Denise Krepp 2015-07-09 17:13:39

In 2009, Congress mandated that all government vessels be recycled in the United States. The 1970 Bank Secrecy Act and the 2001 PATRIOT Act imposed additional reporting requirements concerning international wire transfers over $10,000. Finally, the Freedom of Information Act...

Where Did the Maritime Heritage Grant Money Go? - Part 1

By Denise Krepp 2015-07-07 16:36:37

In 1998, Congress held a hearing to examine the Maritime Administration's ship recycling program. Witnesses testified about irregularities and the lack of compliance with the National Maritime Heritage Act. Fast forward seventeen years and the problems continue to exist. Maritime...