The Columbia River Derelict Vessel Task
Force is a forum of stakeholders whose
purpose is to identify and remove imminent
pollution and hazard to navigation threats
from derelict vessels, barges, and houseboats
along the upper, middle and lower Columbia
River and Willamette Rivers in the states of
Washington and Oregon.
The mission of this task force is to recommend policy, share
information, and foster the collaborative and shared efforts of
Task Force members to identify and mitigate the harmful effects
of derelict vessels, barges, and houseboats along the middle and
lower Columbia River and Willamette Rivers.
USCG Sector Columbia River MTS Recovery and Salvage Planner
OR State Marine Board Oregon Clean Marina Coordinator
WA Department of Ecology, Spill Response Section Manager
OR DEQ, Emergency Response/Enviro Cleanup, Lands Division Manager
WA Dept of Natural Resources, Derelict Vsl Removal Program Manager
EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinator
OR Division of State Lands, Western Region Manager
NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator
Director, Oregon State Lands
Other Participants include:
Oregon DOJ
Multnomah County Marine Patrol Supervisor
1. Inventory derelict vessels, barges, and houseboats along the Columbia
and Willamette Rivers.
2. Determine derelict vessels, barges, and houseboats that pose actual or
potential pollution threats and hazard to navigation.
3. Prioritize and remove all pollution, HAZMAT, and navigational
threats from identified derelict vessels, barges, and houseboats.
Prioritize and facilitate the removal of vessels that do not pose an
immediate threat of pollution or hazard to navigation through the Task
Force collective authority.
4. Conduct regular, intense, smart surveillance for prevention of
pollution, HAZMAT, or navigational threats stemming from derelict
vessels, barges, and houseboats.
5. Develop a list of law and policy areas for investigation where existing
rules and policies could be changed to facilitate the reduction of current
and future derelict and abandoned vessels.
6. Identify opportunities to align Washington and Oregon laws
addressing derelict vessels with the goal of moving toward a consistent
regulatory regime on the Columbia River.
7. Maintain effective communications with state and local agencies, CG
Auxiliary, and Federal partners.
Held two Meeting which:
• Created Membership
• Developed Charter
• Reviewed Existing Programs
• Agenda for MSU Portland Mtg - 7 July 2011
1) What does a abandoned/ derelict program look like (e.g. who collects,
what to collect, who gets the reports, how to recall the information)?
2) What is a common prioritization mitigation strategy?
3) Is there common training that can be delivered to each agency's field
personnel?
This Task Force was Chartered by CPAT Kaup as a Co-Chair of the
NWAC; should be include both the NWAC and RRT?