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OregonSB 7952025 Regular SessionSenate

Relating to marine cleanup; and prescribing an effective date.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 5 mixed.

Vessel abandonment brings costs and offenses

Owners remain liable for salvage, towing, storage, and disposal costs when agencies seize vessels under the cleanup laws. Non-owners can also owe these costs when agencies have probable cause they caused abandonment or dereliction knowingly, intentionally, recklessly, or with criminal negligence. Leaving a vessel without permission on public or private land, or in any water, is an offense. A person possessing or controlling a vessel also commits an offense by causing dereliction with one of those mental states. The supplied provisions set no dollar amounts or penalties.

Owners can challenge vessel seizures

Owners must get at least 10 business days after notice to request a hearing and state specific reasons challenging seizure. The agency must schedule the hearing within 10 business days of the request; owners can offer a repair or relocation plan. Missing the hearing generally ends further hearing rights unless there is good cause, allowing seizure and disposal of the vessel and belongings. Owners can challenge cleanup charges after seizure, although lawful salvage, towing, and storage costs are presumed reasonable. If seizure is unwarranted, the agency must return the vessel and contents without those charges; otherwise, statutory disposal rules apply.

Vessel owners get notice before seizure

Agencies generally must attach notice to a vessel at least 10 business days before seizure. They must also mail notice when the vessel has or had a State Marine Board certificate and legible identifying numbers; recipients can request email. Notices must explain costs, hearing rights, steps and deadlines to avoid seizure, possible citations, and possible sale or destruction. Owners can reclaim the vessel and belongings by establishing possession rights, paying lawful accrued costs, and showing they can move it to lawful storage. If it is not reclaimed as required, title passes to the agency, which can sell or dispose of it.

Agencies can remove marine debris immediately

Authorized agencies can remove and dispose of marine debris immediately, without notice. Debris includes boats too dilapidated to travel on water. It also includes lasting manufactured or processed material abandoned in or near waters over Oregon-owned submerged or submersible lands.

Agencies get help paying cleanup costs

The State Marine Board can reimburse agencies that follow the vessel seizure laws for qualifying abandoned or derelict vessel cleanup costs. Eligible vessels are boats under 200 gross tons or vessels that are not boats. Reimbursement is capped at 90% for vessels that have or had the listed state certificate, and 75% for those that never did. Payment up to either cap is not guaranteed. The board can also use existing Salvaged Vessel Subaccount money for marine debris salvage, towing, storage, and disposal; no funding amount is stated.

Agencies gain stronger vessel cleanup powers

The law takes effect on the 91st day after the 2025 regular legislative session adjourns. Authorized law enforcement, federal agencies, the State Marine Board, and other public bodies can act on abandoned or derelict vessels. With probable cause, they can secure, tow, store, or address environmental threats, making a good-faith effort to contact owners. Seizure generally requires notice, but navigation hazards and imminent public health or safety threats allow immediate action, followed by required notice. Interior inspections are limited unless life, property, or the environment is endangered; entry onto private land to check abandonment requires consent. The law also repeals ORS 830.928 and ORS 830.931.

Broader cleanup rules for waterfront property

Derelict-vessel rules now reach vessels near Oregon waters that are likely to enter them and meet listed danger conditions. An environmental hazard no longer needs significant harm or repeated, documented leaks. Dilapidated structures on Oregon-owned submerged lands can qualify as derelict before pollutants leak. Vessel rules cover boathouses and floating homes, but exclude docks, boats too dilapidated for water travel, and structures outside those definitions. For vessel proceedings, the owner is the person listed in State Marine Board or another state agency’s records.

State agencies get new contracting rules

The Department of State Lands can buy removal goods and services for abandoned or derelict vessels and derelict structures. State contracting rules still apply unless an exception allows otherwise. The Department of Administrative Services controls shared price agreements for the listed agencies and can delegate technology agreements to the state’s chief information officer. That officer can review technology solicitations, require state enforcement rights, and must approve technology or telecommunications purchases expected to cost $1 million or more. For those purchases, the officer can require being the contracting party on the state’s behalf.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 94 • No: 1

House vote • 5/5/2025

Third reading. Carried by Scharf. Passed.

Yes: 52 • No: 0

House vote • 4/28/2025

Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water: Heard and Reported Out

Yes: 8 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/6/2025

Third reading. Carried by Taylor. Passed.

Yes: 29 • No: 1

Senate vote • 2/25/2025

Natural Resources and Wildfire: Heard and Reported Out with Amendments

Yes: 5 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

    5/20/2025Senate

  2. Chapter 90, 2025 Laws.

    5/20/2025Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    5/14/2025Senate

  4. Speaker signed.

    5/6/2025House

  5. President signed.

    5/6/2025Senate

  6. Third reading. Carried by Scharf. Passed.

    5/5/2025House

  7. Second reading.

    5/1/2025House

  8. Recommendation: Do pass.

    5/1/2025House

  9. Work Session held.

    4/28/2025House

  10. Public Hearing held.

    4/16/2025House

  11. Referred to Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water.

    3/13/2025House

  12. First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

    3/10/2025House

  13. Third reading. Carried by Taylor. Passed.

    3/6/2025Senate

  14. Second reading.

    3/4/2025Senate

  15. Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.)

    3/3/2025Senate

  16. Work Session held.

    2/25/2025Senate

  17. Public Hearing held.

    1/30/2025Senate

  18. Referred to Natural Resources and Wildfire.

    1/17/2025Senate

  19. Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.

    1/13/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • SNRW Amendment -1 (Adopted)

    2/25/2025

    PDF

  • SNRW Amendment -1 (Proposed)

    2/18/2025

    PDF

  • A-Engrossed

    PDF

  • Enrolled

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

  • Senate Amendments to Introduced

    PDF

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