Unsecured and sunk vessels that move during a storm event pose significant threats to insurable and uninsurable private and public property. Removing these vessels before a storm reduces the likelihood of loss of life and property damage during a flood event. Vessels that are sunk and/or abandoned are a threat to flood mitigation measures including living shorelines and shoreline stabilization structures meant to improve resilience. Sunk and abandoned vessels will move with great destructive force, destroying anything they encounter, including docks, houses, yards, trees etc. In addition, abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) threaten safe navigation. Removing ADV before storms arrive will reduce the potential for such destruction to occur.

A work group was started in late 2020 to examine solutions to ADVs in Virginia’s coastal waters, rivers, and inland lakes. The work group includes representatives from pollution regulatory agencies (state and federal), marine law enforcement, marinas, Tribes, nonprofit organizations, the boating community, coastal managers, coastal policy experts, and other interested parties. The work group is facilitated by Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University and the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program. This webpage has more information: http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/ADV.html

I urge the Community Flood Preparedness Fund to include in its project eligibility requirements support for local communities, Planning District Commissions, law enforcement, and others to prevent, inventory, remove, and dispose of ADVs based on the recommendations that will be coming from the Virginia Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Work Group.