The ruling catches Oregon ports by surprise and could slow the removal of junk vessels from navigable waterways.
By Nigel Jaquiss
Oregon Journalism Project
Three years ago, the Legislature accelerated the messy job of removing derelict ships and boats that clog waterways across the state: sailboats in the Willamette River; abandoned tugs in Coos Bay; rotting fishing boats in Newport; rusting barges on…