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 may be delivered to the drop off point October 25th and 26th, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
"The Vessel Turn-In Program is proud to provide Aransas County boat owners a voluntary method to dispose of their run-down vessels in a safe, environmentally-conscious manner," said Texas General Land Commissioner George P. Bush. We want to spread the word: Never abandon or sink a vessel to dispose of it. Not only does an abandoned vessel pose an environmental and navigational hazard, but it's also illegal. Removing abandoned or sunken vessels can be hazardous to the safety of others and expensive for the State of Texas. Please take advantage of this two-day, free of charge, turn-in for Aransas County."
Vessel Turn-In Program Hours:
October 25th thru 26th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Aransas County Residents’ Drop-off location:
Aransas County Airport - Rear Entrance - Near Howard Murph Park off of loop 1781
For Questions:
GLO – (361) 886-1650
Aransas County Code Enforcement – (361) 790-0121
To pre-register, sign-up
at:
www.surveymonkey.com/r/VTIP-Aransas
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 Aransas County will transport vessel to landfill for disposal. Cove Harbor Yacht Club and Boathouse Resort is generously underwriting the program for Aransas County. Boat must be clear of waste and debris.
Thus far, the GLO has conducted 16 VTIP collections in along the Texas coast, resulting in the processing of 711 vessels, totaling 11,719.5 feet in length, for disposal and a savings of more than $2.93 million.
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.