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Committee reviews changes to speed removal of abandoned and derelict vessels
Summary
Senate Bill 795 would revise definitions and notice requirements for Oregon's abandoned and derelict vessels program, streamline removals and treat irrecoverable vessels as marine debris to speed cleanup, state officials told the committee.
Senator Anderson and Department of State Lands officials told the Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water Committee that Senate Bill 795 would strengthen Oregon’s abandoned and derelict vessels (ADV) program by clarifying definitions and shortening notification periods.
Senator Anderson said the bill would help coastal and river communities from Lincoln City to Coos Bay by addressing hazardous boats that clog harbors, endanger navigation and pollute waterways. "Removing these vessels quickly and efficiently is critical to protecting our environment and economy," Anderson said during the public hearing.
Josh Mulholland, Waterway Stewardship Program manager at the Department of State Lands, and project manager Dorothy Deal described recent removals and program needs. Mulholland said the legislature provided an initial $18,800,000 from the Monsanto PCB settlement in June 2023 to begin removals and to stand up a statewide ADV program. He highlighted a recent Columbia River dredge removal and a nine-boat removal project in Columbia County that were completed with partner agencies and local law enforcement.
Deal told the committee the current statute treats heavily damaged or disintegrated vessels the same as intact boats, which imposes lengthy notice and storage requirements even where a vessel is clearly unrecoverable. She said SB 795 would allow agencies to reclassify such hulks as marine debris and reduce pre-seizure notice and holding periods in cases where no owner can be found. "When a boat is in such poor condition ... we're not going to consider it a boat anymore. It's marine debris. It can be handled, very efficiently," Deal said.
Speakers described hazardous-substance concerns: the dredge removal included peeling lead paint and PCB-contaminated materials; the dredge project cost roughly $1,300,000. Committee members asked about sale of recovered valuables; Deal said current and proposed statutes allow agencies to sell recovered items to offset costs but noted that recoverable valuables are uncommon.
The public hearing closed after committee questions; no committee vote was recorded at the hearing.
