National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

1. NOAA Roles in Response to Sunken and Derelict Vessels Doug Helton National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA Ocean Service Office of Response and Restoration

2. Presentation Summary • NOAA Roles and Concerns • Threats from Wrecks • NOAA Databases • Response to Threats • Wrecks vs. abandoned vessels

4. Terminology • Salvage • When a vessel or cargo has residual value. • Removal incentive • Wreck Removal • When vessel or debris has no significant value. • Contract removal • Abandonment

5. NOAA interests in shipwrecks • National Marine Sanctuary Program • Office of Coast Survey • Office of Ocean Exploration • Office of Response and Restoration

6. Threats from wrecks • Oil pollution and Hazardous Cargoes • Smothering from vessel/debris • Chronic source of debris • Navigational obstruction • Trawl and navigation obstruction • Physical destruction of habitats • Illegal dump sites • Nutrient enrichment • Entrapment and Safety Hazard

7. Oil Pollution from Wrecks

8. Hurricane Katrina Salvage and Wreck Removal, 2005

9. 1944: the M/V Empire Knight ran aground on Boon Island Ledge, ME. The vessel was carrying a mixed cargo, including mercury 1987: The Pac Baroness sank off Pt Conception, CA. The vessel was carrying 280,000 gallons of fuel and 21,000 tons of powdered copper Hazardous Cargo:

10. Threats to Navigation

13. Habitat Threats

14. M/V Clipper Lasco Grounding, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 2006

15. Wildlife Entrapment • F/V Paradise Queen, Kure Atoll, NWHI • Entrapment of endangered monk seals

16. Human Health and Safety

17. Public Safety

18. F/V Van Loi, Kauai Oil, debris, and fishing gear spread along hotel beach Visual eyesore and loss of tourism

22. Source of Marine Debris

23. Vessels can be a significant source of marine debris and in some situations can become debris themselves

25. Vessel debris following Hurricane Katrina

26. Empire, Louisiana

28. Samala Photos • As vessel deteriorate, they become a source of debris

33. Illegal Dump Sites • M/V Kimton, Fajardo, Puerto Rico • Vessel used for illegal dumping of waste oils and explosives • Abandoned Barge, Louisiana. Potential dumping site

34. NOAA Databases • Abandoned Vessels (primarily affecting corals) • Automated Wrecks and Obstructions Information System (Navigation hazards) • Resources and Undersea Threats (historic and pollution)

36. Abandoned Smuggling Vessel, Guam, 2008

39. AWOIS • NOAA Coast Survey • Automated Wrecks and Obstructions Information System

40. Resources and Undersea Threats (RUST)NOAA Marine Sanctuaries Program

41. Historic Wrecks • 1953: The 468-foot freighter SS Jacob Luckenbach near entrance to Golden Gate, CA. Recent response efforts removed 85,000 gallons of bunker fuel. • 1941: The 440-foot tanker Montebello off the coast of San Luis Obispo, CA. The Montebello was carrying more than 75,000 barrels of crude oil

42. US Navy Sub S-5. Cape May NJ. 1920 Courtesy of the US Navy

43. Tanker “Bow Mariner” Offshore Virginia

44. Not all targets are vessels

45. Response to Underwater Legacy Environmental Threats (RULET) Oil slick from the leak of Navy Special Fuel Oil from Mississinewa in Ulithi Lagoon. Photograph courtesy of NOAA

46. Chehalis case history

47. USS Chehalis: Background • 311-foot US Navy Patapsco Class Gasoline Tanker • Commissioned December, 1944 • Exploded and burned on October 7, 1949, while off-loading gasoline at Pago Pago Harbor on Tutuila Island. • 6 lives lost. Burned for 22 hours • Scuttled in 160 feet of water on October 8 near fuel terminal • Aviation and automotive gasoline cargo, diesel bunkers • 115,000 + gallons • 18,000 rounds of ammunition

50. Challenges • Assessing and prioritizing wrecks • Establishing an effective response organization • Developing and implementing appropriate technical solutions • Environmental and historic compliance • Funding