CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. — Local organizations are calling on South Carolina lawmakers to help remove abandoned boats polluting the Lowcountry’s waterways.
Wounded Nature Working Veterans and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources recently invited staff from Congresswoman Nancy Mace and Senator Tim Scott to tour Charleston Harbor, where dozens of derelict boats remain.
Former Representative Tom Hartnett, who grew up in the Lowcountry, noted the problem has worsened over time.
“I grew up here, I grew up on the water, and I’ve watched the boats all my life. I’ve noticed that the numbers have grown—looking out today I can see there’s more boats in the anchorage,” Hartnett said.
Environmental and Safety Concerns
These abandoned vessels pose dangers to boaters and threaten the local ecosystem. Made mostly of fiberglass, many boats contain hazardous chemicals and debris that break down and pollute waterways. This pollution risks harming the state’s valuable shellfish industry.
“If you eat seafood, you don’t want shellfish that’s been eating fiberglass,” said Rudy Socha, CEO of Wounded Nature Working Veterans. “Fiberglass is glass strands encapsulated in plastic.”
Currently, about 30 derelict boats clutter Charleston Harbor, including some from out of state.
Legislative Efforts
State Senators Hartnett and George Campsen are pushing bills to address the problem. Campsen’s bill, recently passed, gives the Department of Natural Resources and law enforcement more authority to remove abandoned boats.
Hartnett’s bill, still in committee, would require marine recovery insurance for boats anchored for over two weeks and introduce a funding mechanism to support cleanup efforts.
The Need for Federal Funding
So far, Wounded Nature has removed some boats through private donations and volunteer help, but federal support is vital for larger-scale cleanup.
“We’ve got about 3 million pounds of debris—abandoned boats and other trash—littering shorelines and waterways, with no state or federal funding to remove it,” Socha said.
Hartnett emphasized, “This isn’t just a coastal or Charleston problem. It affects the entire state.”
