The U.S. Maritime Administration says World War II-era ships are safe to move from Suisun Bay, Calif., to Texas scrap yards, a report said.
The U.S. Department of Transportation six years ago found the 77 "ghost ships" at Walnut Creek, Calif., "an immediate environmental threat."
However, acting Maritime Administration Director Julie Nelson last week insisted the ships are safe enough to move.
Nelson's visit was in response to a request by Knight Ridder reporters who were refused permission by the Maritime Administration to tour the Suisun Bay fleet, the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times reported.
For more than a year, the Maritime Administration has stalled releasing hull-testing data that Knight Ridder requested under the Freedom of Information Act, the newspaper said.
The U.S. agency says ships in Virginia's James River are a higher removal priority.
While it costs about $1 million to ready a Suisun Bay ship to move it to Texas, the entire fleet's 2006 maintenance budget is just $1.2 million, the newspaper reported.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
Related stories:
NASA postpones satellite launch
NASA's launch of the NOAA-N environmental satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was postponed for 24 hours due to high winds.
Algae spreading along China's Yellow Sea coast
The algae plaguing China's Olympic sailing venue is spreading to other ports and beaches along the coast, state media has reported, despite official claims that the battle is being won.
Ocean Wind Power Maps Reveal Possible Wind Energy Sources
Efforts to harness the energy potential of Earth's ocean winds could soon gain an important new tool: global satellite maps from NASA. Scientists have been creating maps using nearly a decade of data from NASA's QuikSCAT satellite that reveal ocean areas where winds could produce wind energy.
Warning buoys for right whales installed along Massachusetts Bay
Endangered North Atlantic right whales are safer along Massachusetts Bay's busy shipping lanes this spring, thanks to a new system of smart buoys. The buoys recognize whales' distinctive calls and route the information to a public Web site and a marine warning system, giving ships the chance to avoid deadly collisions.
Sea salt worsens coastal air pollution: study
Air pollution in the world’s busiest ports and shipping regions may be markedly worse than previously suspected, according to a new study showing that industrial and shipping pollution is exacerbated when it combines with sunshine and salty sea air.
NASA to Fly Viking Into Storms to Improve Aviation Safety
The S-3B Viking was built to take off and land on carrier ships, fly into enemy territory and take out threatening submarines. It's rugged, fast and powerful, but its fighting days are numbered.
Arctic Sea Ice Shatters All Previous Record Lows: Diminished Ice Leads To Northwest Passage Opening
Arctic sea ice during the 2007 melt season plummeted to the lowest levels since satellite measurements began in 1979, according to researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder's National Snow and Ice Data Center.
Tropical crab invades Georgia oyster reefs, long-term impact can't be predicted
A dime-sized tropical crab that has invaded coastal waters in the Southeast United States is having both positive and negative effects on oyster reefs, leaving researchers unable to predict what the creature’s long-term impact will be.