On August 24, 2012, the state of California (CalRecycle) sent a letter to Army Corps, Coast Guard, and EPA requesting their participation in a joint venture raising, evaluating, assessing, and removing abandoned wrecks and other marine debris from the Oakland Estuary. The abandoned wrecks and marine debris are located throughout the Oakland Estuary, including the shoreline along Coast Guard Island and the San Leandro Bay. The estuary is highly developed along both the Oakland and Alameda shorelines. Development includes several major marine terminals for ocean and bay shipping, 16 small boat harbors with over 2,000 pleasure craft, and many dwellings with private docks and over-water structures.
The Site consists of four sunken abandoned wrecks and other clusters of marine debris containing hazardous substances situated in the Oakland Estuary. Specifically, the areas that will be targeted during the removal action are located between the inlets of the Oakland Middle and Inner Harbors and south to the San Leandro Bay. Included in the four abandoned wrecks is a 160 foot tug boat “the Respect,” a 102 foot long commercial vessel “the Captain,” and two commercial fishing vessel. All are submerged and will be further investigated during the removal action utilizing underwater video, side scanning sonar (if needed), and professional divers to determine the scope and extent of hazardous substances. The Respect poses a navigational hazard so the Army Corps has marked its location with a hazard buoy. All of the identified wrecks will be removed and CalRecycle will dispose of any solid waste and EPA will dispose of hazardous waste.
In addition to the abandoned wrecks, there are several other areas within the Oakland Estuary that contain hazardous substances including an estimated 35 illegally moored vessels dilapidated docks, piers, pilings and other like marine debris. The removal of hazardous substances from these areas will be included in this removal action although CalRecycle will take the lead removing, dismantling and disposing the solid waste; EPA will handle the disposal of any hazardous substances obtained from these vessels and marine debris.
