Update on the Ship Disposal Program

The Maritime Administration has resumed ship disposal activities at two of its National Defense Reserve Fleet sites, following a moratorium imposed in February of 2007, and plans to resume activity at the third fleet site as soon as possible.

 Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton suspended ship disposal activities because of discrepancies between the enforcement of federal laws by the U.S. Coast Guard and the requirements of state and local jurisdictions.  A federal law, the National Invasive Species Act, as interpreted by the Coast Guard, required that the underwater hulls of obsolete ships held by the Maritime Administration be “regularly cleaned” of aquatic growth prior to being moved from one geographic location in the United States to another.  In 2006, the Coast Guard agreed to a Maritime Administration proposal to use a process called scamping, which is designed to remove soft organic growth without disturbing hull coatings.  State and local jurisdictions in California, Texas, and Virginia were concerned about scamping taking place in their waters.  Administrator Connaughton called a halt to disposal activities until the conflict could be resolved, advising members of Congress about his decision. 

Letter to members of Congress

 After consultation with the Maritime Administration regarding the process, the Commonwealth of Virginia decided to allow scamping in its waters, so that on May 1, 2007, Administrator Connaughton announced that ship disposal activities would resume at the James River Reserve Fleet, at Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia.

Letter Lifting Suspension                              News Release

 The State of Texas also decided to allow scamping at the National Defense Reserve Fleet site in Beaumont, Texas, and on June 29, 2007, Administrator Connaughton announced that ship disposal activities would resume for Beaumont. 

 Letter from Texas CEQ                          News Release

The moratorium remains in place at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, at Benicia, Calif.  Although the Maritime Administration has been conferring with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board since August 2006, a decision has not yet been made concerning scamping.  The Maritime Administration is conferring with the Board, intending to employ a mitigation plan that includes a modified hull cleaning process, and anticipates resuming ship disposal activity when agreement is reached.

Letter to SFBayRWQCB

October 24 Letter to Board