Crews demolish and dispose of burned boat on Sacramento River
SACRAMENTO -- A giant barge with a crane attached to it spent most of Wednesday demolishing what was left of "The All American,'' an 85-foot private boat that burned June 21 in the Sacramento River near the Interstate 80 bridge.
It's a massive cleanup for a burned-out commercial vessel that's been sitting for six weeks.
The eyesore is now forcing a closer look at how these boats are removed - and who pays for it.
"There was a noticeable sheen in the water the day this occurred, so that's why we were deployed out here," said Mary Fricke with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention.
Fricke's department has been monitoring the vessel since they deployed a boom in the water to protect the environment.
"We do have our wildlife officer on scene behind me overseeing the cleanup as they are collecting the parts of the boat and the salvage," said Fricke.
The California State Lands Commission stepped in to pay for the $97,000 salvage cost after an emergency request from Sacramento County.
"It comes out of a fund that the commission manages as a trustee that we can use for providing public access or preventing harm to the waterways," said Sheri Pemberton with the State Lands Commission.
All agencies are behind a bill that would coordinate the removal, destruction, and disposal of commercial abandoned and derelict vessels.
Right now, there is no comprehensive state program to oversee such efforts - nor any agency with the expertise to do so.
"The bill is intended to create partnerships. It's not meant to be punitive," said Natasha Drane, Sacramento County's Governmental Relations and Legislative Officer.
If passed, the State Lands Commission would lead the efforts.
"The commission oversees and manages tide and submerged lands and navigable waterways," Drane said.
Authorities say it's needed given the state responds to 1,000 notifications a year for cleanups of abandoned vessels, with a quarter of them resulting in petroleum releases.
The bill is in the California State Assembly appropriations committee on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the State Lands Commission is working on a settlement with the dock owner in place of litigation.