CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Lowcountry nonprofits are pushing for the removal of abandoned and derelict vessels from coastal waterways out of fear of future contamination.
Unending rows of shining boats are what you see when taking a look over the Safe Harbor Marinas. Some of those, General Manager David Isom says, are unwelcomed visitors.
“They’re not boaters, they don’t own the boat they’re living on, usually. At night, they sneak into the marina, they can vandalize other members’ vessels, vandalize property, use restrooms illegally,” Isom says.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans founder Rudy Socha explains this happens when a boat is too expensive to maintain. The owner will give it to another for free or at low cost.
“The boat doesn’t run, it’s a piece of junk. Somebody takes that free boat, gets an anchor with it and drops anchor somewhere,” Socha says. “That 30-foot sailboat out there, once it sinks, it represents 9,000 pounds of fiberglass, lead, foam on interior, rotted wood and everything else in our waterways.”
Derelict boats can be identified by the lack of operational equipment, including sails or pumps, and the visual deterioration of the vessel itself.
“Boaters are the most conscious environmentalists because they’re on the water and they use it. When you have an anchorage allowing derelict vessels to exist, you completely go against what you’re trying to accomplish,” Isom says. “It’s not like calling a tow truck in I-95. This is completely different, a lot more expensive, and it’s worse for the environment. If we can keep these boats from sinking or being derelict, and the anchorage being used how it was intended to be used by the federal government, everyone is happy.”
A collaborative grant between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and BOAT-US Foundation would offer grants between $50,000 and $1 million to state and local agencies.
The funding is a portion of the more than $10 million award bolstered by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“We have recently launched the letter of intent. It’s the first stage of the application process. We are soliciting groups to propose to use how not only to remove ADVs in their area but also how to prevent them in the future,” BOAT-US Outreach Director Alanna Keating says.
The program would work toward research and educational opportunities along with the physical removal of vessels for underserved and under-resourced communities.
“There are a lot of forms, narratives you need to be able to write a 40-page grant application. Most communities do not have the skills or resources to do that. We remove those barriers for people,” Keatings says.
Socha says he would like to see more funding placed in the hands of physical removal over supplemental departments, like technology or internal development.
“We’re only $5 million away from cleaning up the entire coastal area, both commercial vessels and recreational vessels. If they weren’t spending that money doing all these other things, the problem would be taken care of,” Socha says. “$2.5 million is being removed off the top to cover administrative costs.”
Keatings asks anyone with suggestions or questions on the grant and how it is distributed to contact them here.
“These tidal marshes are extremely important to the fishing and tourist industry,” Socha says. “Debris that’s actually contaminating and killing our wildlife. This is where the focus should be, where the money should be spent, is getting these boats out of the water.”
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