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Preservation Advocates Tell Okaloosa Board of Possible Unexploded Ordnance at Proposed Reef Sites
Summary
Public commenters warned that proposed artificial-reef sites for the SS United States fall within a long-used military missile-test area and could contain unexploded ordnance, posing risks to divers and the public; county officials acknowledged the concern and cited an existing partnership with Eglin Air Force Base.
Speakers at the Oct. 7 Okaloosa County meeting raised safety concerns about proposed artificial-reef sites and the possible sinking of the SS United States because some of the sites identified in Army Corps permits fall within an area the U.S. Coast Pilot describes as a missile test firing range.
Steve Perry, a frequent commenter, described opportunities to repurpose decommissioned ships as artificial reefs and urged the county to consider such options. Jonathan Radovitz, president of the SS United States Preservation Foundation, said he reviewed publicly available Army Corps permits and plotted permit positions on navigational charts. He told the board that "all 3 of the large sites described in the permits fall under an area classified as a missile test firing range…This range covers an area of approximately a 120,000 square miles," and warned this raises a hazard for unexploded ordnance (UXO).
Radovitz quoted the U.S. Coast Pilot and Eglin Air Force Base materials on UXO behavior and risk, saying submerged UXOs may remain in the marine environment and, if disturbed, could pose safety hazards to divers, fishers or dredging operations. He cited tests conducted in 2015 between two sites that evaluated UXO behavior and relayed Eglin’s assessment that UXOs occasionally occur in shallow water and have been recovered from nearby bays.
County staff thanked the speakers and acknowledged the county’s partnership with Eglin Air Force Base. One county speaker said recent local removals of UXO had occurred: "Last year, within the last 2 years, I believe there were 8, UXOs taken out of our bay," and noted that Eglin helps notify the public when areas are open or closed.
Why this matters: if reef sites overlap with areas that have a history of military training, they could contain UXO that present safety hazards for diving, commercial operations and future reef deployment. The comments place record-level concern before county officials and the public.
Board action: this was recorded as public comment; no formal county action or vote on reefing was taken at the meeting. Commenters urged that UXO risk be acknowledged and managed by appropriate federal and military partners.
