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Local nonprofit warns of rising derelict-boat problem on Clear Lake, urges state action and grants
Summary
Citizens Against Derelict Dumping told Seabrook council that the number of derelict boats on Clear Lake has grown from one to about 18 in three years, poses navigational and environmental hazards, and that removal costs run $15,000–$20,000 per boat; the group is seeking federal grant support and state law changes to improve enforcement.
A local nonprofit told the Seabrook City Council on March 18 that derelict and abandoned boats on Clear Lake have increased sharply in recent years and that removing them requires significant money and interagency coordination.
Tom Taylor, an officer and legal counsel for Citizens Against Derelict Dumping (CAD), said CAD has documented roughly 18 boats currently anchored or moored in the Clear Lake area — up from one permanent vessel three years ago — and that five of those are sunken. "These boats out there ... represent a safety hazard, they represent a navigational hazard and they represent a probable environmental hazard, if they sink," Taylor said.
Taylor told council the group has applied for an $85,000 federal grant, administered through BoatUS, to help pay for removals. He said average removal and disposal costs range from about $15,000 to $20,000 per boat and grow if recovery requires raising a sunken vessel. Taylor described the…
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