Brevard County Commissioner Bryan Lober Leads Program To Eradicate Derelict Vessels
By Space Coast Daily // July 9, 2019
CLEANING UP THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON
SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Brevard County Commission Vice Chair Bryan Lober leads the effort to remove sunken, derelict boats from the Indian River Lagoon as he prepares to scuba dive to check for oil leaks. In a partnership between Natural Resources and the Brevard County Office of Tourism, more than 60 sunken vessels will be removed from the lagoon. Commissioner Lober is a certified scuba diver, and to save the county money and to make sure that oil is not going to leak from boats being removed, will put on his scuba gear to check vessels for leaks prior to removal.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Brevard County Commission Vice Chair Bryan Lober is leading the effort to remove sunken, derelict vessels from the Indian River Lagoon, and in a partnership between Natural Resources and the Brevard County Office of Tourism, more than 60 sunken vessels will be removed from the lagoon.
Lober is a certified scuba diver, and to save the county money and to make sure that oil is not going to leak from boats being removed, put on his scuba gear on Monday morning to check vessels for leaks prior to removal.
The county used an excavator on a barge to pick up the abandoned eyesore.
The Brevard County’s Natural Resources and the Tourist Development Council has earmarked funds for the derelict vessel removal from the Brevard County 5 percent Tourist Development Tax.
According to Lober, $450,000 will be set aside to remove the derelict vessels on the Indian River and Banana River.
The Brevard County Natural Resources Management Department’s Matt Culver said there are more than 60 vessels that are awaiting removal over the next six months.
Culver, who is the boating and waterways program coordinator, said derelict vessels are not the impression the county wants to give tourists.
“When there’s a storm coming through, the boaters need to make sure that their vessels are anchored securely,” said Culver.
To report derelict or abandoned vessels, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-888-404-3922 or email Brevard County Commissioner Bryan Lober at D2.Commissioner@BrevardFL.gov
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