Final Guidance: National Guidance: Best Management Practices for Preparing Vessels Intended to Create Artificial Reefs

In response to a Maritime Administration request, EPA established and led an interagency workgroup to develop best management practices to be used in the preparation of vessels for use as artificial reefs. This guidance identifies materials or categories of materials of concern that may be found aboard vessels and specifically identifies where they may be found. For each material or category of material, the document provides a narrative clean-up performance goal and information on methods for achieving those goals in preparation of the vessel prior to sinking. Materials of concern include, but are not limited to, fuels and oil, asbestos, PCBs, paints, solids/debris/floatables, and any other materials of environmental concern (e.g., mercury and refrigerants).

Download the entire Guidance (PDF) (77 pp, 1.8MB)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover, Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, Executive Summary | PDF version (9 pp, 398K)

Introduction | PDF version (9 pp, 346K)

Siting of Artificial Reefs | PDF version (4 pp, 74K)

Guidance for Preparing Vessels to Create Artificial Reef Habitat

Oil and Fuel | PDF version (9 pp, 245K)
Narrative Clean-up Goal
What are oil and fuel?
What are the potential environmental impacts of oil and fuel?
Where are oils and fuels found in a ship?
How should the vessel be prepared; what are the appropriate BMPs for oil and fuel?

Asbestos | PDF version (6 pp, 235K)
Narrative Clean-up Goal
What is asbestos?
What are the potential environmental impacts of asbestos?
Where is asbestos found on a ship?
How should the vessel be prepared; what are the appropriate BMPs for asbestos?

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) | PDF version (6 pp, 287K)
Narrative Clean-up Goal
What are PCBs?
What are the potential environmental impacts of PCBs?
Where are PCBs found on a ship?
How should the vessel be prepared; what are the appropriate BMPs for PCBs?

Paint | PDF version (4 pp, 114K)
Narrative Clean-up Goal
What types of paint and anti-fouling systems are used on ships and where are they found?
What are the potential environmental impacts of paint?
How should the vessel be prepared; what are the appropriate BMPs for paint?

Solids/Debris/Floatables | PDF version (4 pp, 196 K)
Narrative Clean-up Goal
What are solids/debris/floatables?
What are the potential environmental impacts of solids/debris/floatables?
Where are solids/debris/floatables found on ships?
How should the vessel be prepared; what are the appropriate BMPs for solids/debris/floatables?

Other Materials of Environmental Concern | PDF version (4 pp, 120K)
Narrative Clean-up Goal
What are other materials of environmental concern?
What are the potential environmental impacts of other materials of environmental concern?
Where are other materials of environmental concern found on ships?
How should the vessel be prepared; what are the appropriate BMPs for other materials of environmental concern?

Considerations for In-water Uses of Obsolete Vessels | PDF version (3 pp, 113K)
Considerations for In-water Uses of Obsolete Vessels Diving Opportunities

Appendices
Appendix A: Federal Statutes Related to the Transfer of Obsolete MARAD and Navy Vessels for Use as Artificial Reefs | PDF version (26 pp, 184K)
Appendix B: Federal Environmental Laws Relevant for Consideration in Preparation of a Vessel for Use as Artificial Reefs | PDF version (7 pp, 79K)
Appendix C: Information Related to Materials Found on Scuttled Vessels that may have Potentially Hazardous Effects on the Marine Environment | PDF version {9 pp, 96KB)
Appendix D: Developing Workplans for Vessel Preparation Prior to Reefing | PDF version (4 pp, 71K)
Appendix E: General Principles for a Vessel Clean-up Operation | PDF version (2 pp, 67K)
Appendix F: Recommended Checklist for Documenting Vessel Clean-up Using this Guidance | PDF version (3 pp, 72K
Appendix G: Suggested Cleaning Methods for Oils, Fuels, and Semi-solids (Greases) | PDF version (4 pp, 76K)

References | PDF version, (2 pp, 60K)