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The City of Georgetown, in partnership with DHEC's Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM), is arranging removal of abandoned vessels and marine debrie from Goat Island a local landmark. The abandoned vessels pose a potential hazard to navigation, an envieonemntal hazard, and are a form of visual blight on the landscape with potential for a negative impact on tourism in Georgetown."We're very pleased to continue our partnership with the City of Georgetown to restore fthe health, safety, and beauty of the Sampit River around Goat Island. This project builds on the success of our coast-wide effort, which has resulted in the removal of over 60 abandoned vessels and large debris items since 2004. While there is still much work to be done throughout the coast, the City of Georgetown's commitment to abandoned vessel removal has been invaluable," said Dan Burger, Director of Program Administration and Communication for DHEC's office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.The City of Georgetown received a $46,000 grant from Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) and the City of Georgetown contributed $16,000 to help fund the project. Chris Eldridge, City Administrator, stated "I'm excited that this collaborative project between the City of Georgetown and DHEC/OCRM has been successful in making our waterways safer and more attractive for our residents and visitors. We will continue to seek partners on future projects to make Georgetown the best community it can be."The City of Georgetown awarded the contract to Thomas Bones Construction Company to remove the abandoned vessels and marine debris from the Sampit River.