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Residents urge caution on plan to sink the SS United States; county scientist responds on paint risks
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Summary
Public commenters told the board that sinking the SS United States as an artificial reef risks releasing contaminants including zinc chromate; a county consultant disputed an immediate high‑risk scenario, saying the paint is chemically bonded and unlikely to rapidly release hexavalent chromium in saltwater.
Several public speakers at the Okaloosa County commission meeting urged the board to halt or slow plans to sink the SS United States for use as an artificial reef, citing contamination risks.
Nineteen‑year‑old University of West Florida student Ryan Dunphy told commissioners he had interviewed preservation advocates and was alarmed by what he described as an “appalling” process. He warned of “30 tons of carcinogens in the water” and urged removal of zinc chromate paint and exploration of preservation alternatives.
County project scientist Alex Fogg (introduced from the audience during public comment) responded to those concerns in a brief exchange. He said zinc chromate on the vessel is in a bonded, crystalline lattice that has very limited reactivity and that ordinary saltwater exposure would not produce the kind of violent chemical reaction described by some speakers. Fogg said prior remediation work has removed some problematic materials and that planned mitigation procedures target hazardous components.
Other commenters and community advocates urged the county to fast‑track safety and emergency‑response planning for diving operations and to ensure advisory partners such as Divers Alert Network (DAN) are not treated as operational providers; DAN provides education and advisory services but not hyperbaric medical response.
The commission did not take a formal vote on the project at this meeting. Commissioners and staff continued to discuss technical, regulatory and remediation questions, and several speakers urged more detailed environmental review before any sinking activity proceeds.
