Americas News
U.S. Agency Warns of Pollution Danger from Old Wrecks
Thirty-six sunken vessels that have rested on the U.S. seafloor for decades represent a potential threat to marine resources, according to a report presented by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to the U.S. Coast Guard.
NOAA recommended assessment and potential removal of bunkers and oil cargo from 17 of the ships.
The ships include 13 merchant marine ships that sank during World War II, as well as a barge lost in 1936, two motor-powered ships that sank in 1947 and 1952 and a tanker that exploded and sank in 1984.
"This report is the most comprehensive assessment to date of the potential oil pollution threats from shipwrecks in U.S. waters," said Lisa Symons, resource protection coordinator for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
"Now that we have analyzed this data, the Coast Guard will be able to evaluate NOAA's recommendations and determine the most appropriate response to potential threats."
The ships cited as hazards were chosen from 20,000 shipwreck sites in a NOAA database based on factors including the vessel's size, the likelihood of significant amounts of oil remaining on board, the type of fuel used and the potential environmental effects from spills in the surrounding area.
The Coast Guard, which is responsible for mitigating coastal marine oil spills, will review the assessments and incorporate them into its plans for addressing marine environmental issues.
The National Marine Sanctuaries office notes that most old wrecks "are left alone and are largely forgotten until they begin to leak, often becoming the source of 'mystery spills' that harm coastal economies and environments."
That may have been the case last year when an oil spill spread off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, possibly from a US Army vessel that sank there in 1946.
