DHEC launches pilot program to clean up waterways of derelict boats
MURRELLS INLET, S.C (WBTW) –The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is working to tackle abandoned and derelict boats in South Carolina waterways.
The Vessel Turn-In pilot program launched in January is free and is aimed at removing boats before they become an issue.
“You can see behind us right here, sometimes boats have accidents, and they get stuck, and the problem is, is they just kind of pile up, especially on the Intracoastal Waterway,” said Jason Burton, the owner of Murrells Inlet Fishing Charters.
The goal is to prevent boats from sitting and impacting the environment and things like oyster reefs or salt marshes.
DHEC said the 30 applications it has received have been cases of boats washed up in backyards and some people wanting to get rid of inherited boats.
The program is being funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Zone Enhancement. Julia Chrisco, a coastal services project manager with DHEC, said it’s only a pilot program but that could change.
“The more interest we get, the more applications we get, the more that tells us that maybe we could one day have more of a like continuous program,” Chrisco said.
If accepted, people will be able to drop off their boats in Charleston this summer or have DHEC hire a contractor to come and pick them up. That same day, the vessels will be broken down.
DHEC said the idea is to prevent hazardous materials from leaking into the environment, home damage as well as navigational hazards.
Jacob West, a long-time Murrells Inlet resident, said abandoned boats sunk in the inlet is an issue he’s seen before.
“I’ve got friends that have been injured on like props of boats and stuff hanging out of the water because it hasn’t been cleaned up,” West said.
The program will also recycle fiberglass to eventually be used as fuel instead of coal.
Burton said the convenience of this program will help many people who don’t know what else to do with a derelict boat.
“These bigger boats, it costs a lot of money to move them, and that expense is half the reason why they don’t get moved because people don’t want to spend that money, so the fact that it’s free, come and get it,” Burton said.
News13 recently did a story about a washed-up boat in Murrells Inlet, but this program would not be able to help remove it.
The deadline to submit an application has been extended until April 12. You can apply, here.
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Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here.
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