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House advances bill to let DNR remove derelict vessels, citing coastal hazards
Summary
S.B. 367, a bill to strengthen authority to identify and remove abandoned and derelict vessels, received a second reading in the House and passed on a recorded vote of 105-0. Sponsors said the measure will let the Department of Natural Resources hold owners responsible and clear navigational hazards on coastal waterways.
The House gave S.B. 367 a second reading after Representative Forrest told members the bill would address a growing problem of abandoned and derelict vessels in South Carolina waterways, particularly along the coast.
"We have a serious problem with the population of abandoned and derelict vessels on our South Carolina waterways," Forrest said on the floor. He described those vessels as hazards that "clog our waterways" and said the bill would provide clearer authority for the Department of Natural Resources to identify, remove and hold owners accountable for junk or abandoned vessels.
Representatives representing coastal districts supported the measure. Members recorded a roll-call second-reading vote of 105-0. Forrest asked unanimous consent for third reading consideration at a later legislative day; the House granted that consent.
The bill's sponsors and supporters said the measure clarifies legal tools for cleanup and enforcement while focusing on public-safety and environmental concerns tied to derelict craft.
