The BoatUS Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are partnering across six states and two unincorporated territories to remove more than 300 abandoned and derelict vessels, known as ADVs, from local waterways.
The project is being funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, which is administered through the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. The grants fund removal and education efforts in communities impacted by ADVs and the navigation, safety and pollution hazards they present.
“This is the first coordinated ADV removal effort across the country and across time zones to address the issue head on,” BoatUS Foundation director of outreach Alanna Keating said in a statement. “It follows years of good work by NOAA, as well as dedicated partners in removal efforts to rid our waters of these hazards. However, there’s never been an effort before at this scale, and we’re proud of making it happen for the boating public and affected communities.”
The awarded states, communities, organizations and programs include:
• Metlakatla Indian Community, Alaska
• City and borough of Yakutat, Alaska
• Sitka Conservation Society, Alaska
• Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government, Louisiana
• Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation, Washington
• State of Maine
• U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources
• North Carolina Coastal Federation
• Oregon Department of State Lands
• Port Authority of Guam
According to the statement: “The ADV removal effort also includes creation of a first-of-its-kind national database to pinpoint locations of ADVs and track their removal. NOAA grant funds also document ADV prevention and removal activities to share with the public and support a national dialogue and education efforts on boating-related debris disposal.”
