§2469. Derelict vessels and structures

A. A person may not leave, abandon, or maintain any structure or vessel involved in an actual or threatened unauthorized discharge of oil in coastal waters or on public or private lands or at a public or private port or dock, in a wrecked, derelict, or substantially dismantled condition, without the consent of the coordinator.

B. The coordinator shall locate, identify, mark, and analyze the contents of any abandoned or derelict vessels or structures found within the state. If the vessel or structure contains oil or oil based materials he shall establish a priority for removal of those vessels and structures on the basis of highest risk to human health and safety, the environment, and wildlife habitat. The coordinator shall compile a computerized list of all vessels or structures indicating the location, identity, and contents of each.

C. The coordinator may remove any vessel or structure described in Subsection A of this Section and may recover the costs of removal from the owner or operator of the vessel or structure. In the event that the owner or operator cannot be located, the coordinator may use the monies in the fund up to one million dollars in any fiscal year for the removal of any vessel or structure described in Subsection A of this Section.

D. The Department of Environmental Quality may petition the coordinator for the removal of any vessel or structure as described in Subsection A of this Section and the coordinator shall either comply or submit the matter to the interagency council for review.

E. The office of conservation in the Department of Natural Resources may petition the coordinator to abate an unauthorized discharge or the threat of a discharge from a facility or structure which the secretary certifies to be involved in an actual discharge or poses a threat of a discharge and for which the secretary certifies that the office of conservation cannot immediately locate a viable responsible party. Upon approval of the department's petition the coordinator shall reimburse the office of conservation for all expenses incurred, within the limits of provisions of this Section, and he shall seek reimbursement for the fund as provided elsewhere in this Chapter. The coordinator shall use monies in the fund for this purpose, which shall not exceed two million dollars in any fiscal year.

Acts 1991, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 7, §1, eff. April 23, 1991; Acts 1992, No. 426, §1; Acts 1995, No. 740, §1.