Abandoned and derelict vessels: inventory.

Assembly Member Ransom's proposal to catalog abandoned and derelict vessels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta would require the State Lands Commission to create a comprehensive inventory of these watercraft by January 2027. The measure directs the commission to document both commercial vessels - including ferries, tugs, barges, and fishing boats - and recreational watercraft throughout the Delta's 700 miles of waterways.

The inventory would capture key details about each vessel, including its size, weight, potential hazardous materials, proximity to water sources, and estimated removal costs. The commission could compile this information through aerial surveys or by aggregating existing data from federal, state and local agencies. The final inventory would categorize vessels by county, type, and size to facilitate targeted management approaches.

The bill's findings highlight the Delta's significance as California's largest freshwater tidal estuary and a critical source of drinking water for 29 million residents. According to these findings, abandoned vessels in the region often contain hazardous materials like solvents, asbestos, PCBs, and petroleum products that can impact water quality and navigation. The measure notes that other coastal states have established similar programs to address derelict vessels in their waters.

Implementation of the inventory requirements depends on funding appropriation by the Legislature. The bill's special statute designation acknowledges the unique characteristics of the Delta's extensive network of sloughs and leveed waterways that make it particularly susceptible to vessel abandonment issues.