California, Federal Maritime Officials Battle Over Military Ghost Ship Disposal
By Alison Gonzalez
Published on July 17, 2007
Conflicting financial and environmental problems and state regulations have prompted Maritime officials to halt the scrapping of rotting tankers, cargo carriers, and other warship vessels belonging to the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet.
An environmental report released earlier this year says the "mothball fleet" at Suisun Bay has dumped more than 21 tons of toxic substances into the surrounding water. In another report, a ship called the Point Loma was said to have contained more than 500 tons of toxic material, including 139 tons of asbestos, before it was parted and sold for scrap.
Since California lacks the facilities and funds to scrap the ships, they must be transferred to Texas. But debris – as well as contaminated barnacles and other organisms on the hulls – would further threaten an already delicate ecosystem during transportation.
Although the Coast Guard requires organisms to be scraped off the hulls of ships scheduled for transport, the process causes toxic paint to flake off into the ocean, violating state water laws.
Sean Connaughton, the head of the Maritime Administration, has maintained that the best solution to the problem is to scrape and transport the ships as soon as possible. He recently announced that the administration's freeze on dismantling the vessels will be lifted August 1.
State regulators are demanding that Maritime officials find a safe way to resolve the issue or risk legal consequences.
If resolved, up to 15 ships will be scrapped by the year’s end.
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