Okaloosa County is moving forward with plans to transform the SS United States into a massive artificial reef structure off the Florida coastline . following recent controversy, page administrator Mike Strasbaugh addressed claims that the vessel’s preservation is being sidelined in favor of scrap value.

The transition from Mobile, Alabama to a Florida reef

The vessel is currently undergoing significant preparation in Mobile, Alabama, as part of a transition toward its new life as a marine habitat. According to a Facebook post by page administrator Mike Strasbaugh,the environmental remediation phase has been completed successfully, with all identified hazardous materials removed from the ship. Ongoing inspections by the EPA are currently being used to verify that the vessel meets all regulatory requirements for its eventual deployment.

Work has now shifted to the removal of non-essential internal materials to improve diver safety and enhance the ship's biological productivity. This phase is designed to ensure the vessel has controlled flooding characteristics, which will help it function effectively as a large-scale artificial reef once it reaches its final destination. Coleen Marine and its contracted teams are currently managing this complex, highly regulated operation.

The SS United States Preservation Foundation's fight for the 'Queen of the Seas'

The SS United States Preservation Foundation and the New York Coalition are actively working to halt the reefing project. The report states that these organizations have engaged in a campaign that officials describe as spreading misinformation to undermine public confidence in Okaloosa County. Specifically, individuals associated with the Foundation, including Carlos Camacho Jr. and Vice President Steve Perry, have expressed a desire to continue fighting for what they call the "Queen of the Seas."

Tensions have escalated due to public statements made by Mr. Camacho Jr., who has reportedly targeted former supporters and researchers. The County maintains that these opposition groups were not involved in the critical efforts to save the ship after it was sold to Okaloosa County, and that their current efforts are based on inaccurate narratives regarding the ship's ultimate fate.

The MARS facility's capacity to dismantle the USS Enterprise

The MARS facility in Mobile, Alabama, is capable of scrapping large vessels, contrary to claims made by Foundation representatives and Coalition Science Officer Matt Lesiw. Opponents have suggested that the facility lacks the necessary infrastructure to dismantle the SS United States if the reefing plan were to fail. However, the facility is currently tasked with the dismantling of the former aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65), which serves as a concrete rebuttal to those claims.

Okaloosa County officials have explicitly denied the narrative that the ship is being prepared for outright scrapping. Instead, they maintain that the removal of materials is a strategic step to prepare the hull for its role as a reef, rather than a move to maximize the ship's scrap metal value.

What the New York Coalition's opposition leaves unverified

While the County asserts that the project is progressing without measurable setbacks from opponents, several key details remain unconfirmed. The specific timeline for when the SS United States will actually be deployed off the Florida coast has not been publicly released. furthermore, the exact amount of scrap value that has been at the center of these disputes remains unquantified in the current reporting, leaving a gap between the County's assurances and the opposition's financial concerns.