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Senate committee backs bill to let DNR tag, remove abandoned watercraft after 14 days
Summary
The Senate Environment Committee recommended passage of Senate File 2735 as amended, a bill authorizing the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to tag abandoned vessels and remove them after 14 days, shifting primary responsibility from counties to the DNR and creating civil and criminal penalties and a removal account.
Senate File 2735, a bill to give the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) authority and tools to address abandoned watercraft, was recommended to pass as amended by the Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee on April 1.
The bill creates a process to tag an abandoned vessel, give the owner 14 days to claim or remove it, and authorize the DNR to remove and dispose of the vessel at the owner's expense if it is not claimed. The measure also establishes civil and criminal penalties and an account to fund removals and recycling, with recovered costs returned to that account.
The measure responds to a high-profile case of a 54-foot yacht abandoned in 2024 on an island in the St. Croix River and the broader problem of derelict vessels statewide. Supporters said existing local enforcement lacks the authority, funding and scale to manage removal consistently.
"Abandoned watercraft will be tagged and will have 14 days to be claimed by their owner or they will face removal by the DNR at their expense," said Senator Seaburger, the bill…
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