AUSTIN - The Texas General Land Office (GLO) is partnering with the City of Corpus Christi and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) to offer local coastal Texans the opportunity to remove inoperable and derelict vessels through the Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP) free of charge. Designed to provide owners with a voluntary method of disposal, interested boat owners are encouraged to participate if the vessel is less than 26 feet long, with longer boats being accepted on a case by case basis. The vessel maybe delivered to the drop off point February 7 th to the 11 th, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
"The Vessel Turn-In Program is proud to provide Corpus Christi area boat owners a voluntary method to dispose of their run-down vessels in a safe, environmentally-conscious manner," said Land Commissioner George P. Bush. " We want to spread the word: Never abandon or sink a vessel to dispose of it. Not only does it pose an environmental and navigational hazard, it's also illegal. Removing abandoned or sunken vessels can be hazardous to the safety of others and expensive for the State of Texas. We want to encourage folks to take advantage of this five-day VTIP in Corpus Christi."
Vessel Turn-In Program Hours:
February 7th - 11th, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Drop-off location:
Flour Bluff Drop-Off Location:
Laguna Madre Wastewater Facility
201 Jester St.
Corpus Christi, TX 78418
To pre-register, sign-up at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/vtipcc.
TPWD will verify the vessel (boat) qualifies for disposal. Verification of ownership and a Release of Interest and Ownership must be completed and provided to the VTIP agency. The title must be free of any loan balances, liens, and/or taxes. The GLO will sponsor the removal of all hazardous materials (fuel, oil, and batteries), while the City of Corpus Christi will transport vessel to landfill for disposal. Boat must be clear of waste and debris. Potential participants may contact the GLO with questions at (361) 825-3300 or the City of Corpus Christi Code Enforcement at (361) 826-3032. Para instrucciones en español, llame al (361) 826-3032.
Thus far the GLO has conducted five VTIP collections in Galveston, Brazoria, and Matagorda counties, resulting in the processing of 177 vessels, totaling 3001 feet in length, for disposal and a savings of more than $600,200. There is an additional VTIP in Brazoria scheduled for January 30 th, prior to the five-day VTIP in Corpus Christi.
Working with petroleum and commercial fishing industries, U.S. Coast Guard and the general public, Oil Spill Prevention and Response staff support educational opportunities, daily water and shore patrols and 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.
Background - Texas GLO's Oil Spill Prevention and Response
The oldest state agency in Texas, the GLO was formed to determine who owned what and where after the Texians and Tejanos won independence. Today the General Land Office manages state lands, operates the Alamo, helps Texans recovering from natural disasters, helps fund Texas public education through the Permanent School Fund, provides benefits to Texas Veterans, and manages the vast Texas coast. With hundreds of millions of barrels of crude oil and petroleum products passing through ports, bays and beaches along the Texas Gulf annually, the Texas General Land Office Oil Spill Prevention and Response team is on call 24/7, ensuring oil stays out of Texas coastal waters.
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