Pennsylvania cracking down on abandoned boat owners

It's a problem that seemed to exacerbate all over the US after the pandemic
Downtown on the bayfront at dusk in Erie, PA.
Downtown on the bayfront at dusk in Erie, PA. Photo credit Getty Images

It's a problem all over the country, as waterways become homes to boats that owners have just given up on, creating a number of problems.

Michael Hills of the Pittsburgh Safe Boating Council says abandoned boats pose environmental risks from fiberglass and fuel...and navigational issues.

"Some of these boats sink and they're two feet below the surface. You can't even see them," he said.

But now abandoning a boat can add up as owners are responsible for retrieval costs.

"Depending on the size of the boat, location, whether it's sunk, what fluids are in it, where it's going to go, whether it's going to be landfilled, all that stuff, they're estimating between $5,000 and $20,000 worth of cost," he added.

Not to mention fines starting at 500-dollars that can also jump to 25-hundred for non compliance.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Images