The City Island waterfront, among other coastal waterways throughout the borough and the city, will have less marine hazards and fewer eye sores after NYC Parks announced the launch of a new office that would keep the city’s waterfront areas safe from marine debris.
NYC Parks’ April 15 announcement of the creation of their new office, the Office of Marine Debris Disposal and Vessel Surrendering, which was celebrated along with the city’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), an NYC Parks partner for over a decade, along with local elected officials and community members.
One area within the Bronx where the work of this office has been especially prevalent has been along the waterfronts of City Island, where vessels have been proactive in cleaning up derelict, abandoned boats as well as marine debris that eliminate waterway access for active boats and could also prove harmful to marine life.
“We know that these cleanups will make our waterways safer and more eco-friendly, but the view also looks so much better,” said Cathy Cebek, who serves on the board of the City Island Civic Association and heads the CICA’s Municipal Committee. “We (CICA) want to thank this office for keeping our waterways safe — and clear of debris and abandoned boats.”
Cebek said that NYC Parks’ office of Marine Debris Disposal and Vessel Surrendering has removed several abandoned boats, along with various boat debris, from the City Island waterways, including near the City Island Bridge, the Harlem Yacht Club, Orchard Beach and several vessels which brushed ashore on nearby Rodman’s Neck.
“Some of the boats are mostly submerged in water, and sometimes, you can only see these boats when it’s low tide,” Cebek added.
NYC Parks was unable to provide an approximate number of boats or an amount of boat debris that has been removed from City Island by press time, but Cebek said that NYC Parks’ office of Marine Debris Disposal and Vessel Surrendering, equipped with a crane vessel, has eliminated at least 15-20 boats, as well as boat debris, from the nearby City Island waterways and also along the western waterfront of Rodman’s Neck.
She specifically thanked Nate Grove, who heads the office, along with office director Kevin Murtagh, contract coordinator Katie Stromme and custom marine Dwayne Reith for the work that they have already accomplished in less than a two-week period.
According to Cebek, the key to this early success of clearing up derelict boats has been community participation — as she has communicated with several City Island residents to point out stagnant, clearly deserted boats which have been stranded or have partially sunken.
“As City Islanders, we take great pride in our waterways — and this office has done a great job so far when it comes to not only beautifying our waterways but also making them safer by removing the hazards,” Cebek said.
According to NYC Parks, there are more than 800 derelicts boats which are located along a total of 520 miles that make up the city’s shoreline.
The abandonment of these vessels can potentially pose serious risk to navigation, property damage and public safety, and can also be extremely harmful to marine habitats and ecosystems, as these boats can leak oils and fuels. The vessels can also dispose large amounts of micro plastics into the water.
“Throughout our city’s history, the New York City waterfront has been critical to our prosperity, environmental health and natural beauty,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, who acknowledged that the creation of the new Marine Debris Disposal and Vessel Surrendering office is a new step forward in caring for the city’s waterfront.
“With this new office and innovative vessel turn-in program, we are protecting our shoreline from floating risks and sunken hazards, benefiting the people, the flora (plant life) and the fauna (animal life) that rely on a healthy and clean waterfront,” Donoghue added.
Donoghue also said that the new program “underscores the city’s commitment to maintaining safe, healthy spaces that New Yorkers can take pride in and enjoy.”
The NYC Parks’ office of Marine Debris Disposal and Vessel Surrendering was created in accordance with Local Law 46 of 2023, and is being funded through 2025 as the result of a $1 million grant from Mayor Eric Adams.
According to NYC Parks, the Office of Marine Debris Disposal and Vessel Surrendering is the first of its kind in New York state.
The office is also launching a vessel turn-in program, where New Yorkers who have no other way of responsibly disposing of their vessels, can directly surrender their unwanted boats and proactively address vessels ahead of time, before they become derelict.
Reach Steven Goodstein at sgoodstein@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260–8326. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
