The Removal of The Golden Ray from
St. Simons Sound

Since March, the Georgia Conservancy and partners have worked together to analyze possible environmental impacts posed by the removal of the Golden Ray cargo ship from St. Simons Sound, and formulate how stakeholders can be further involved in efforts to mitigate any threats to Georgia’s coastal ecosystem.

On September 9, 2019, the Golden Ray left the Port of Brunswick and capsized in St. Simons Sound before reaching open ocean. Onboard, it carried a crew of 23, a load of more than 4,000 cars, and thousands of gallons of fuel needed for its trans-Atlantic journey. Exactly what occurred in the Sound and the moments leading up to the incident is still being investigated. Thankfully, the crew was safely rescued and a majority of the fuel has been removed.

The Golden Ray, its cargo, and an undetermined amount of petroleum remain in the Sound between Jekyll and St. Simons Islands. A Unified Command consisting of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and Gallagher Marine Systems is tasked with ship stabilization, containment of pollutants, and coordinating the removal of the ship, which involves cutting it into sections. This challenging process began in May 2020, though the cutting and removal of the ship has been delayed until later in the year.

The Georgia Conservancy currently has significant concerns regarding the lack of public engagement in light of a number of changes that have taken place in the planned operation this spring. Below is a July 17 letter to the Unified Command addressing our concerns.

JULY 17 LETTER TO UNIFIED COMMAND

Dear Lieutenant Commander Donovan,

The Georgia Conservancy is keenly interested in making sure that the salvage operations for the capsized Golden Ray cargo vessel, which will scale up dramatically in the next month, are completed in a manner that has the least impact on our fragile estuarine and coastal ecosystem. To that end, we seek clear detail of the proposed salvage operation. This ship removal is unprecedented in its size, occurs in a sensitive location it St. Simons Sound, and employs extraordinary salvage operation methods (chains for cutting, VB 10000, etc.).

The Georgia Conservancy is a statewide conservation organization that works to develop solutions to protect Georgia’s natural resources through advocacy, engagement, and collaboration on conservation issues. Coastal protection for the people of Georgia has been a top priority for the Georgia Conservancy throughout its entire 53-year history.

There has not been a detailed briefing with environmental advocacy organizations, including Georgia Conservancy, since February 2020. In that time, there have been numerous changes in the “means and methods” of the salvage operation. We request a virtual public meeting, which would:

• Occur before large section cutting begins;

• Update the public with first-hand information about changes to the methods and techniques for removal and salvage operations;

• Update the public with expected timelines for completion;

• Discuss precautions Unified Command has and will take to protect the environment, tourism, and quality of life in Glynn County from noise, toxic releases, and wreckage that may occur during removal; and

• Offer community members the chance to ask questions to members of the Unified Command.

Additionally, we request a technical briefing to answer a more detailed question related to the current documentation, project plan, and contingency plans for this extensive operation. Your community briefings at club meetings and on Youtube are a helpful first step for understanding the fundamental elements but does not aid in a detailed assessment of the salvage operation.

There are only a few weeks left before this historic salvage operation gets underway. We would like to see you provide more transparency on your current documentation, plans for ship removal, and detailed contingency plans.

Thank you for considering the comments in this letter. We look forward to the next steps in this process.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need any information.

Sincerely,

Charles H. McMillan, III
Coastal Director
The Georgia Conservancy, Inc.

cc: Bart Gobeil, President, Georgia Conservancy, Inc.

Questions? Please contact Georgia Conservancy Coastal and Natural Resources Director Charles McMillan at cmcmillan@gaconservancy.org