The BoatUS Foundation announced recently that it is accepting proposals from qualified organizations to fund the removal of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) from coastal and inland waterways. Letters of intent need to be submitted to Boat US between July 10 and August 12, 2024.
The project is funded by a $10 million grant from NOAA that in turn was authorized in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.
Abandoned vessels litter many waterways around the country and local and state governments often lack the resources to remove them. The BoatUS Foundation has been funding removals for years but at a smaller scale.
“We’re excited about building upon our years of experience with ADV removals,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Outreach and Grant Program Director, Alanna Keating. “This is a unique program that is open to any organization, nonprofit or for-profit, as well as local, state, territorial, tribal, and regional government agencies. “
BoatUS expects to eventually fund between 25 and 70 removals through this partnership with NOAA. Each project will have its own specific issues but the Foundation estimates that the cost for a removal will average $24,000.