JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. – Wounded Nature Working Veterans and various organizations are collaborating to clean Charleston Harbor and surrounding waterways.
On Monday afternoon, eight abandoned and dilapidated boats were burned and transferred to a landfill at the Limehouse Boat Landing.
These vessels have long sat in our rivers and beaches, polluting our waters while also serving as marine risks and eyesores. Although not all identified boats were allowed to be towed inland, this cleanup represents progress following the passage of a new state ordinance earlier this year.
“The new law really did kind of streamline that and it lowered some of our timelines down to where with the old law you had 45 days, but within a week or two, the boat can sink or have other issues,” Michael Merrill, master patrol officer for Charleston Police, explained. “With this, we can get ahead of it faster. Additionally, the punishments are stiffer. It has truly benefited us a lot. It has put us in a much better position to remove these boats before they sink or become a hazard.”
Wounded Nature, a non-profit organization, is leading the effort to get these vessels onshore. They’ve now removed 272 vessels. The Charleston Police Department, Charleston County Public Works, Coast Guard volunteers, and others assisted in moving the vessels to the dock and destroying them. Rudy Socha, CEO of Wounded Nature, told News 2 that their assistance is crucial.
“We’ve got a new DNR director, he really cares about this stuff, and we’ve got all these different agencies cooperating together,” Socha told the audience.
The director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources was also in attendance, supporting an endeavor that is important to the department.
“We will be the first state in the country to clear our coastline of abandoned and dilapidated boats. We have a mission and are vigorously pursuing it; we will succeed. “Rudy, Wounded Nature has done an excellent job,” Tom Mullikin said. “The Coast Guard is very collaborative, DNR – my game wardens are out here every day working on this, and we are going to pursue it until it is completed. This state deserves no less.”
Charleston Police urge anybody with information about abandoned or derelict boats to contact the SCDNR or call (843)-577-HRBR. Mullikin told News 2 that DNR will sample water near the vessels and active emissions.
