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State program to remove abandoned vessels seeks streamlined seizure, shorter storage time and clarity on debris rules
Summary
Department of State Lands supports Senate Bill 795 to clarify definitions, shorten waiting periods and simplify seizure and disposal of abandoned or derelict vessels (ADVs); testimony said the program has used $18.8 million from the Monsanto settlement for removals and that disposal costs can exceed $20,000 per vessel for 30–40-foot boats.
The Department of State Lands and coastal stakeholders urged the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on Jan. 30 to back changes to the abandoned and derelict vessel (ADV) statutes that they say will let agencies remove hazardous boats more quickly and at lower cost.
Senate Bill 795 would expand agency authority to seize, secure or dispose of derelict vessels, create the offense of abandoning a vessel, clarify how vessel contents are handled, and reduce mandatory storage-and-notice periods before disposal.
Why it matters: DSL and port partners described high removal costs, hazardous materials found in vessels and administrative barriers that slow removals. The department told the committee that the Legislature provided roughly $18,800,000 from the Monsanto settlement in 2023 to start statewide removal work. Port and cleanup partners said the existing seizure, notice and storage requirements sometimes make removals infeasible and costly.
Josh Mulholland, Waterway Stewardship Program Manager, described recent work…
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