Sec. 1082. Feasibility study on removal of oil from sunken World War II vessels in waters near the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau
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It is the sense of Congress that— there is a significant environmental threat posed by World War II-era sunken Japanese warships, including three oil tankers, located in the waters near the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau; such sunken vessels contain an estimated 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 gallons of oil, or approximately the equivalent of 1/3 of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill in 1989; and as such sunken vessels continue to deteriorate, small amounts of oil are already leaking, threatening to cause an ecological disaster that could negatively impact United States military activities, the marine ecosystem, and surrounding communities.
The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command and the head of any other relevant Federal department or agency, as appropriate, shall conduct a comprehensive study on the feasibility and advisability of removing oil from the World War II-era sunken tankers, including an analysis of the cost, logistical requirements, environmental risks, and potential methods for removing the oil from the tankers. Not later than March 1, 2026, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings of the study conducted under paragraph (1).
The report required by subparagraph
(A)shall include the following: An assessment of the operational and environmental risks posed by the oil remaining in the sunken tankers and warships, including current leakage and the potential impacts of a major spill. An evaluation of the cost, logistical challenges, and technical approaches for safely extracting or containing oil from the shipwrecks. A review of ongoing and planned efforts by the United States and international partners addressing such matter. Recommendations on next steps, including resource needs, interagency and international cooperation, and timelines for potential remediation efforts.