ASSEMBLYMEMBER TED LIEU
53RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
For Immediate Release: February 13, 2008
Contact: David Ford
Phone: (916) 319-2053

Assemblymember Lieu Introduces Legislation to Create Surrendered Vessel Program

(Sacramento, CA) - Assemblymember Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance) introduced AB 1950 today, which would allow local public agencies to accept surrendered vessels from boat owners for safe disposal. This would help prevent the abandonment of old and dilapidated boats, which would otherwise create waterway hazards and create environmental degradation.

California has the second largest boating population in the nation with nearly 1 million registered boats. With such a large population of boating activity, there is an increased need for local public agencies to deal with abandoned vessels that are past their useful life.

While there are currently programs in place to help local agencies remove abandoned vessels, there is no mechanism to prevent the abandonment of these boats. The ability to deal with these boats before they have been abandoned would save local agencies thousands of dollars each year, due to the cost of recovering a sunken boat.

“AB 1950 would make it easier for boat owners to surrender their vessels that are in a deteriorated condition, instead of allowing the boat to simply drift and eventually sink,” said Jack Peveler, president of the California Association of Harbor Masters and Port Captains. “This bill would help make boating and other water recreational activities safer for our families and community.”

This bill would allow local agencies to apply for already existing grants to create programs to dispose of these surrendered vessels. It would also increase fines for irresponsible boat owners who abandon their boats, polluting waterways and creating underwater hazards.

“These abandoned boats not only create hazards in our boating ways, but leak toxins such as fuel and oils into our water,” stated Assemblyman Lieu. “This legislation would help clean up our waterways while saving the state and local agencies money by being proactive in our actions.”

AB 1950 will be referred to a policy committee and heard in the coming months.