HB 1457 -- Shipwreck Site Protection

Sponsor:  Fraser

Currently, a person who wishes to salvage a submerged shipwreck
must obtain a permit from the Department of Natural Resources and
pay a permit fee.  This bill prohibits the department from
issuing the permit without a detailed excavation, conservation,
and preservation plan and proof that the applicant has adequate
funding for the salvage.  The permit applicant is required to be
or to hire a professional maritime archaeologist.  If the
applicant does not fulfill all tasks in the scope of work related
to the shipwreck, all items and data regarding the shipwreck are
forfeited to the state.  The state may not limit visitation to a
shipwreck unless there are certain apparent threats.  The current
permit fee is increased from $100 to $500.

Persons who wish to salvage historic shipwreck materials are
required to positively identify the shipwreck.  The person must
apply for an exploratory permit from the department and pay an
application fee not to exceed $1,500 to the Director of the
Department of Revenue.  The Department of Natural Resources has
30 days to comment on any application.  The permit allows the
applicant to search for and identify the precise location of the
individual shipwreck.  The applicant will have two years to
demonstrate that the specific shipwreck has been located.

The bill also specifies a process for professional maritime
archaeologists and accredited museums to obtain a permit for a
$100 fee for research and training and establishes the conditions
of the permit.  If a shipwreck has been previously, positively
identified and located, an exploratory permit is not necessary;
and the applicant may apply for a salvage permit.  Conditions are
also specified for ongoing professional archaeological research
and restrictions on shipwrecks located in state parks and
historic sites.

The terms "embedded," "historic shipwreck materials," "land
beneath navigable waters," "national register," "professional
maritime archaeologist," "salvage," and "visitation" are defined.

Persons who knowingly take historic shipwreck materials from
state navigable waters or vandalize a shipwreck will be guilty of
a class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a class D felony
for a second or subsequent offense.

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:43 am