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the boats, causing greater impact as they become more deeply mired into the environment. Early extraction of these vessels will avoid and minimize the environmental impacts. In addition to the physical impacts resulting from the movement of these vessel through the environment, there are long term effects caused by their continued degradation and decay in the marine environment. These vessels may be constructed of various materials, such as wood, steel, aluminum, or fiberglass; each having varying degrees of resilience and can remain in the marine environment for extended periods of time. With the progression of time, the environmental impacts increase because of the shading from the hull and displacement of live bottom and emergent vegetative communities resulting from the expansion of the debris field as the vessel disintegrates. The impacts resulting from the removal of these vessels during any stage is less than the impacts caused by the long-term presence of the vessel in the marine environment. Therefore, early detection and removal of abandoned and derelict vessels is the best means of minimizing the individual or cumulative impacts to the environment. Derelict Vessel Removal (FDEP) Permit Exemption An Exemption under Florida Administrative Code Chapter 62-330-051(5)(g) by The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, has been established for the removal of derelict vessels. Based on the presumption the extraction of these vessels from the marine environment will cause only minimal environmental impacts and in turn avoid the long-term impacts resulting from the degradation of the vessel at its current location. The environmental impacts are ameliorated by the application of the best management practices referenced below. Florida Administrative Code Chapter 62-330-051(5)(8) (g) The removal of derelict vessels, as defined in Section 823.11(1), F.S., by federal, state, and local agencies, provided: 1. The derelict vessel case has been completed as specified in Section 705.103, F.S., and has been entered into the Statewide Derelict Vessel Database maintained by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; 2. All work is done in a manner that, to the greatest practicable extent, avoids additional dredging or filling, grounding or dragging of vessels, and damage to submerged resources such as seagrass beds, oyster beds, coral communities, mangroves, other wetlands, and live bottom; and 3. An absorbent blanket or boom shall be immediately deployed on the surface of the water around the derelict vessel if fuel, oil, or other free-floating pollutants are observed during the work General Derelict Vessel Removal and Environmental Protection Best Management Practices The following best management practices (BMPs) will be employed by the marine contractor during the removal of the derelict vessels. The BMPs will be incorporated into the contract for the vessel removal project. The marine contractor will be required to show proof of their ability to meet the BMP requirements with their contingency of equipment, staff and expertise in the removal of derelict vessels. Compliance with these BMP's will be monitored by the County and by local Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission law enforcement officers. These BMPs are as follows: FWC/DV-APP (Feb 2020) 3 Rule 68-1.003