What this is
Harris County removes abandoned boats that leak fuel into our waterways, protecting marine life and boater safety through citizen-government partnership.
From above the surface, Clear Lake may seem pristine.
But Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia said there's a hidden hazard below the water: abandoned boats.
"They sit there leaking fuel, leaking oil into the water, creating hazards for every vessel that is passing by above," he said at a news conference Thursday.
Garcia announced that the county, Harris County Sheriff's Office and Texas General Land Office (GLO) would work with locals to remove these boats.
The GLO has removed more than 1,700 derelict boats statewide during the duration of its program targeting these vessels.
"That amounts to over 6 miles of boat length out of our waters," Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said.
RELATED: Sunken, abandoned boats prompt Galveston city council to seek solutions
The land office has the legal authority to authorize removal of abandoned boats. Once boats are authorized for removal, the Harris County Sheriff's Office will send divers to connect these vessels to heavy equipment, so they can be dredged from the water.
"This lake is full of shrimp and it's hard on the ecosystem of the environment here," he said.
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"The longer the boat sits in the water, the more the integrity of the vessel is compromised," said Capt. David Jasper with the marine unit for the sheriff's office. "And so you can have oil leaking. You can have diesel, gasoline leaking."
Russell Lavigne is the CEO and director of the Dead Boats Society, which advocates for the removal of abandoned boats. He said leaking fuel from these vessels can kill wildlife.
The removal project is the result of grassroots efforts. The Dead Boats Society brought light to the issue of abandoned vessels in the Clear Lake area near Houston, seeking to remove boats that were causing issues for locals. With help from the GLO and local governments, they were able to remove several abandoned vessels.
"We just really started out as a group of concerned citizens," Lavigne said. "So, a little Facebook post and the next thing you know, we had a ton of gentlemen from the area showing up, trying to figure out how to get this done."
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Key details
- Topic: Removing abandoned boats from Harris County waterways
- Partners: Harris County, Texas General Land Office, Dead Boats Society
- Impact: Over 1,700 boats removed statewide
- Problem solved: Prevents fuel and oil from poisoning water and marine life
Where it reaches
- Address
- 700 derelict boats st
- Phone
- 14888184115
Available across Houston.
Why it matters
Old boats sinking in our lakes and waterways leak oil and gas that poison fish and make water unsafe. Harris County removes these boats to keep our water clean and safe for swimming, fishing, and boating.
How to dig in
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When you call, you can say: “Hi, I saw "Abandoned Boat Removal Program Protects Harris County Waters" on Community Exchange and want to know how to take part.”
By the numbers
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Counted from the Community Exchange connection graph.