New York City's effort to clear derelict boats from its waterways is getting a big boost, with $2.3 million from the federal government to remove even more of the abandoned vessels, according to Eyewitness News ABC7.
Officials say derelict vessels and other debris make the waterways dangerous for both humans and marine life.
Abandoned boats create public safety risks for boaters, and the water can become contaminated with microplastics and oil.
The cleanup is underway in Flushing Bay, just off Big Rock Beach, where the first batch of boats has already been pulled from the water using the federal funding.
The report credited Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with securing the money for the cleanup.
This project alone is expected to remove 20 derelict boats from the water, and junk boats have already been hauled away from the College Point area.
Eventually, more than a million pounds of boats and debris are set to be removed from the waterways in Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn to clean up the environment.