Appl_ID: 11270145 grant number: NA25NOSX999C0028-T1-01 title: formerly federal derelict vessel removal on vulnerable aquatic lands the award of $3,528,951 will provide direct assistance to the…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program (CFDA 11.999) awarded a $3.5 million cooperative agreement to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to remove four derelict vessels ranging from 44 to 110 feet in length from Washington State's coastal and marine waters and tidally influenced areas of the Columbia River. The award, issued October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2029, targets former military vessels that were previously auctioned by the federal government and subsequently abandoned. The removal effort will support approximately 60 jobs through local marine contractor companies and will eliminate significant environmental and human health hazards.

The project delivers multiple public benefits including improved commercial and recreational fishing opportunities, removal of navigation hazards, protection of local infrastructure, and enhanced water and sediment quality. The removal activities will provide immediate and sustained benefits to NOAA trust resources including kelp, eelgrass, salmon, groundfish, forage fish, and marine mammals by eliminating a source of contamination and ecosystem degradation. The total federal obligation is $4.68 million, reflecting NOAA's substantial investment in large-scale marine debris removal initiatives funded through the Marine Debris Program.

Appl_ID: 11270145 grant number: NA25NOSX999C0028-T1-01 title: formerly federal derelict vessel removal on vulnerable aquatic lands the award of $3,528,951 will provide direct assistance to the washington state department of natural resources to remove 4 large, run-down and abandoned boats, ranging from 44 to 110 feet in length, from the coastal and marine waters of washington state and tidally influenced areas of the columbia river. IT will support approximately 60 jobs with the local marine contractor companies carrying out the removal work. The removal targets are former military vessels and were auctioned by the federal government. Having been abandoned, they now pose serious environmental and human health risks to washingtons waterways. These removals will improve commercial and recreational fishing opportunities, remove navigation hazards, and protect local infrastructure. There will be immediate benefits to NOAA trust resources including kelp and eelgrass, salmon, groundfish, forage fish, and marine mammals, which will be sustained beyond the life of the project. These removals will also address a source of contamination, providing long-term benefits for sediment and water quality.