- HERALD STAFF
Forty-nine vessels were kept from possibly becoming abandoned or derelict during a state Department of Natural Resources’ Vessel Turn in Program event held in Skagit County.
The event, which ran July 22 through November, allowed vessel owners to responsibly dispose of their unwanted boats for free.
The Skagit County vessel turn-in event was a collaborative effort of the Skagit Marine Resources Committee, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Skagit County, the Port of Skagit, La Conner Maritime Service, the Northwest Straits Commission, the Department of Natural Resources, and the state Department of Ecology.
According to a Natural Resources news release, all too often abandoned and derelict vessels end up in marinas, rivers, landfills or marine habitats where they can harm the environment due to petroleum products, hazardous waste and other toxic materials stored on board.
Under the program, individuals with vessels at the end of their use or in disrepair apply to voluntarily turn in their vessels for free.
Once approved, boats that were part of the Skagit County event were transported to La Conner Maritime Service at the Port of Skagit’s La Conner Marina to be deconstructed and recycled.
“This program provided an excellent opportunity to work with our local, state, tribal and private partners, and bring our collective strengths and skills to the table for this important environmental program,” Sara Young, executive director of the Port of Skagit said in the release. “This event offers a proactive way to protect our marine environment, and it provides an important service to our local maritime community.”
The Skagit County turn-in event generated 137.7 tons of mixed debris.
Of that, 109 tons of material was recycled — 80 tons of scrap wood, 19.8 tons of metal, 6.7 tons of cardboard, two tons of plastic, and a half ton of concrete.
The Skagit County event was funded by the Northwest Straits Commission.
