Derelict boat bill signed by Locke

JOHN DODGE, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Tuesday, April 2, 2002

OLYMPIA -- A bill to provide funding for the cleanup and disposal of derelict vessels was signed into law Monday by Gov. Gary Locke.

Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2376 boosts the annual license fee for boats to $12.50 from $10.50, effective Jan. 1, 2003.

Ports, local governments and the state can use the estimated $430,000 in additional annual revenue to deal with worthless or sinking boats tied up at docks or left moored in harbors.

A suspect derelict vessel sank in lower Budd Inlet in January as legislators debated the merits of the bill. The 67-foot-long Holiday remains submerged while the state Department of Natural Resources and other agencies try to figure out what to do with it.

"It's a perfect example of why we need this bill," DNR spokesman Todd Myers said.

The Port of Olympia is stuck with four to six derelict vessels a year, and disposal costs range from $1,000 to several thousand dollars per boat, port harbor manager Bruce Marshall said.

"They're usually so far gone they're worth nothing," Marshall said.

"And they're usually an environmental mess," he said.

A 2001 survey by the Washington Public Ports Association found about 100 vessels are abandoned at docks and marinas across the state. The average disposal cost was $3,000.

Typically, owners of the vessels lack the assets to remove or dispose of the boats.

The bill defines vessels as abandoned if the owner is not known or if the boat is left for more than 30 days without the consent of a marina owner or lessee.

Other bills

The legislation was one of nine environmental bills Locke signed Monday at a Seattle waterfront park.

Two of the bills -- Substitute Senate Bill 6553 and Senate Bill 6538 -- are designed to combat invasive species and curb their introduction to state waters via ship ballast water.

Others include:

-Substitute House Bill 2758, which allows for the use of public and private money to purchase habitat conservation easements on agricultural lands.

-ESHB 2522, which directs state agencies to combine their efforts to purchase high gas-mileage cars and clean energy resources.

-ESHB 1411, which requires notification of nearby residents in the case of a hazardous materials release.

Locke said the bills advance the state's legacy of strong environmental laws, which include the state Growth Management Act and Model Toxics Control Act.

Environmental groups said the 2002 environmental legislation is modest -- and it is overshadowed by major budget cuts in state natural resource agencies.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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