Today,
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the results of the four-day Vessel Turn-In Program held in Brazoria County this week from March 22-25.
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) and Brazoria County partnership collected 39 vessels measuring 598 feet. Since 2016, the annual events with Brazoria County and other counties along the Texas Coast have collected and disposed of a total of 917 derelict and inoperable boats.
“Vessels, if not disposed of properly, can have detrimental impacts on our coast and communities,” said
Commissioner Bush. “The GLO is proud to offer the Vessel Turn-In Program which makes it easy for Texans to voluntarily and legally dispose of their vessels while also helping to protect our state’s environment. The Brazoria County Vessel Turn-In Program was a huge success and we applaud all the Texans who voluntarily participated and helped us protect the Texas coastline.”
A GLO employee assists with the Brazoria Vessel Turn-In Event
A few of the more than 39 Vessels collected in the turn-in event held March 22-25
Should an abandoned vessel sink in coastal waters, removing it comes at an expense of nearly $200-300 per foot. By proactively encouraging communities to turn these vessels in before they become an environmental or safety hazard, the GLO and its partners have helped prevent over 12,000 feet of boats from having to be salvaged.
Working with petroleum and commercial fishing industries, U.S. Coast Guard and the public, the GLO Oil Spill Prevention and Response team supports educational opportunities, daily water and shore patrols and provides firehouse-ready response teams to prevent and immediately address environmental problems - because even the smallest spill can endanger Texas' precious natural resources. Abandoned vessels can leak fluids into coastal waters that can be harmful for the wetland environment, wildlife, and humans. With hundreds of millions of barrels of crude oil and petroleum products passing through ports, bays and beaches along the Texas Gulf annually, the GLO Oil Spill Prevention and Response team is on call 24/7, ensuring oil stays out of Texas coastal waters.