Miami is trying to turn the tide on a mess that never seems to end: abandoned and derelict boats clogging Biscayne Bay. Officers who patrol the water say the backlog of broken hulls feels endless, and many of those boats are leaking fuel or crumbling into fragile seagrass. They create hazards for anyone trying to navigate the bay, and when owners walk away, taxpayers end up paying for the cleanup. City leaders say a new crackdown that pairs tougher local rules with state and federal money is meant to finally break that cycle.
What the new city ordinance does
Commissioner Damian Pardo introduced an ordinance that hands the Miami Police Department Marine Patrol broader authority over anchorages and derelict vessels. The measure stretches the city’s…..