Campaign Urges Halt to SS United States Reef Plan

The US Maritime Patriots Alliance has released a video campaign) on social media urging the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners to reconsider plans to sink the historic ocean liner SS United States as an artificial reef, according to a press release.

The advertisement highlights concerns over the symbolism of sinking the vessel during a time of ongoing military activity.

“The United States is engaged in active military and maritime operations overseas,” said Carlos Camacho Jr., co-founder and chief communications officer of the SS United States Preservation Foundation.

“Sinking a vessel bearing the name UNITED STATES during the America 250 commemoration would hand our adversaries a symbolic victory they could never achieve on their own.”

The campaign also raises environmental concerns, referencing EPA-certified lab tests that identified hexavalent chromium in the ship’s coatings. Dr. Todd Osborne of the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience has cautioned that sinking the vessel could result in a toxic reef forming in the Gulf.

Additionally, the Alliance noted that the U.S. Maritime Administration oversees a number of SL-7 Fast Sealift Ships that are already planned for decommissioning, which could potentially be used instead.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has also concluded that the proposed sinking would negatively impact a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A Section 106 review under the National Historic Preservation Act is still ongoing and has not yet been finalized.