Land Comm. Buckingham Launches 'Derelict Vessel Turn-In': At South Padre & Port Isabel

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. announced that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) is partnering with the City of Port Isabel, City of South Padre Island (SPI), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and the Port Isabel Navigation District to provide Port Isabel and SPI residents with a free event to dispose of inoperable vessels. The Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP) will take place January 18-20, 2024, from 9 am to 5 pm.

During the multi-day turn-in event, residents may bring their derelict or inoperable boats to the designated drop-off location to be verified by the GLO and TPWD for eligibility. To be eligible:
 

• Vessels must be clear of all waste, debris, and trash
• Verification of ownership of vessels along with a Release of Interest and Ownership must be provided to the VTIP agency
• The title of each vessel must be free of any loan balances, liens, and/or taxes 
• Vessels exceeding the maximum length of 26-feet will only be eligible for disposal with prior approval. Please call 956-504-1417 before January 12, 2024.

VTIP provides owners with a free and voluntary method to dispose of their vessels and boats. The GLO sponsors the removal of all fuel, oil, and batteries and TPWD verifies ownership and clears the vessels for disposal.
 
Removing abandoned vessels from coastal waters comes at a considerable expense — around $200-300 per foot. The GLO and its partners encourage communities to participate in VTIPs to avoid these steep costs and to keep their boats from becoming environmental or safety hazards.

Since it began in 2015, VTIP has hosted 36 events in various coastal communities — in total, 1,441 derelict and inoperable boats measuring 23,345 linear feet have been removed from coastal areas through these essential programs.