JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — A major cleanup effort is underway across South Carolina’s waterways, as state officials and volunteers work to remove abandoned and hazardous boats.

On Monday, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, alongside Wounded Nature–Working Veterans, dismantled and hauled away 17 derelict vessels near Johns Island—part of a larger push to restore safety and environmental health on the water.

The effort follows the passage of Senate Bill 367 last year, which allows organizations to remove abandoned vessels more quickly.

SCDNR officials say the work is already making an impact. In addition to the 17 boats removed Monday, crews have cleared 61 other abandoned vessels.

“We’re making real progress on our goal to have every single abandoned boat out of the waters of South Carolina,” said Shannon Bobertz, Chief of Staff for SCDNR.

Bobertz emphasized the environmental and safety risks posed by derelict boats.

“These have been polluting the waterways of South Carolina,” she said. “When you have these boats that are hidden under the water, they’re navigation hazards. They’re also injuring fish and wildlife.”

The cleanup process, however, is far from simple.

“It’s a long process,” said Chris Owen, a volunteer with Wounded Nature–Working Veterans. “SCDNR has to go and tag them, and then you’ve got to try and find out who owned them.”

Divers face particularly dangerous conditions when searching for submerged debris.

“The waters of South Carolina are very dark, so when we go under the water, it’s pretty much like Braille diving,” said Lt. Willis Bowers with SCDNR’s Investigation Section. “There’s entanglements you could be swimming into while you’re diving. There’s all kinds of sharp, pokey things down there that can cut you.”

With visibility near zero in some areas, crews must rely on touch to locate hidden hazards beneath the surface.

Officials say public help is also critical in identifying problem areas. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services has launched an online tool, MyCoast.org, where residents can report abandoned boats.

SCDNR warns that removing these vessels is both costly and time-consuming—and boat owners who abandon their vessels could face penalties under state law.

644 IS YOUR TIME. IT’S TIME FOR NEWS TO GO. WE’VE GOT IT. TODAY’S LOOK AT THE TOP STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. FIRST, WE BEGIN IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, WHERE AN UPSTATE ARCADE AND GAME LOUNGE ANNOUNCED IT WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS. PINKY’S REVENGE IN TAYLORS MILL SAYS IT’S CLOSING BECAUSE OF NEW LAWS IN THE STATE, AND A POST. THE OWNERS SAY THAT DESPITE FOLLOWING ALL CRITERIA FOR NEW LAWS PASSED ABOUT LIQUOR LIABILITY, THEIR INSURANCE WENT UP $17,000 FOR THE YEAR. THE POST DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THEY WILL CLOSE, JUST THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETIME THIS WEEK, BUT IN THE SAME POST, THE BUSINESS DID ANNOUNCE IT’S OPENING AN ARCADE LOCATION IN DOWNTOWN GREER. AN OPENING DATE HAS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED. MORE THAN 3 MILLION BOTTLES OF EYE DROPS WERE SOLD AT STORES LIKE WALGREENS AND CVS ARE BEING RECALLED BECAUSE OF STERILIZATION CONCERNS. THE EYE DROPS WERE SOLD UNDER A NUMBER OF BRAND NAMES, INCLUDING ARTIFICIAL TEARS, DRY EYE RELIEF, EYE DROPS, ULTRA LUBRICATING EYE DROP AND SOOTHING TEARS. THE FDA SAYS USING THESE MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY OR MEDICALLY REVERSIBLE HEALTH EFFECTS. FEDERAL HEALTH LEADERS ARE URGING PEOPLE TO STOP USING THE BOTTLES IMMEDIATELY, AND THE USDA SAYS CERTAIN PACKAGES OF DINOSAUR SHAPED CHICKEN NUGGETS ALSO SOLD AT WALMART, COULD CONTAIN LEAD. THEIR PRODUCTION DATE IS FEBRUARY 10TH, AND THEIR BEST BY DATE IS THE SAME DAY. A YEAR LATER, THEY WERE SHIPPED TO WALMARTS NATIONWIDE. THE USDA SAYS THE ITEMS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR SALE. LEAD IS ESPECIALLY HARMFUL TO PREGNANT WOMEN, INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN. THE MAJOR DECISION TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE IS BRINGING CLARITY FOR TAXPAYERS. THE STATE SENATE VOTED AGAINST A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE ALIGNED STATE TAX LAW WITH RECENT FEDERAL CHANGES, ENDING WEEKS OF CONFUSION FOR PEOPLE IN SOUTH CAROLINA WHO WEREN’T SURE WHETHER TO WAIT OR TO FILE. STATE HAD EVEN EXTENDED THE FILING DEADLINE TO GIVE LAWMAKERS TIME TO DECIDE. AND NOW, EXPERTS SAY YOU CAN FILE WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT HAVING TO AMEND YOUR RETURN. IF YOU ARE OVER AGE 65. IF YOU HAD TIPS, IF YOU HAD OVERTIME, IF YOU HAD PAID HIGH STATE INCOME TAXES, YOU ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS BILL NOT BEING PASSED. SUPPORTERS SAY KEEPING THE STATE TAX CODE AS IS COULD HELP WITH LONG TERM TAX CUTS. SOUTH CAROLINA, INCLUDING A PUSH TO ELIMINATE THE STATE INCOME TAX NEXT WEEK. PRESIDENT TRUMP SUGGESTED STATES SHOULD COVER DAYCARE COSTS INSTEAD OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT IN A RARE BIPARTISAN WIN IN WASHINGTON, IT’S ALREADY LED TO BILLIONS IN MORE DOLLARS TO HELP PARENTS COVER CERTAIN COSTS. NBC’S JULIE SIRKIN REPORTS. COME ON THIS WAY. MOST DAYS, INDIA BROWN, A SINGLE MOM, BRINGS HER TWO YOUNG CHILDREN TO THIS CARE CENTER IN ALABAMA AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CARES ABOUT KIDS AND THEIR WELL-BEING. THIS IS A GOOD THING. WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE? IT IS A GOOD THING FOR HER FAMILY. INDIA BROWN IS ABLE TO WORK BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZES CHILDCARE. I DROPPED MY KIDS OFF KNOWING THAT THEY’RE SAFE. THAT I CAN KEEP THEM HERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, GO TO WORK, PROVIDE FOR THEM. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES, CONGRESS PASSED $16 BILLION IN NEW CHILD CARE SPENDING, SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT TRUMP. MORE FAMILIES CAN GET A BIGGER TAX CREDIT. WORKING PARENTS CAN CLAIM UP TO HALF OF CHILD CARE COSTS DEPENDING ON INCOME, AND BUSINESSES ARE GETTING BIGGER SUBSIDIES, ALLOWING WORKERS TO SET ASIDE MORE PRETAX DOLLARS. WHY? AND THIS COULD MAKE A BIG DENT BECAUSE LABOR DEPARTMENT DATA SHOWS AMERICAN FAMILIES SPEND UP TO 16% OF THEIR MEDIAN INCOME ON FULL DAY CARE, JUST FOR ONE CHILD. THE VERY HUNGRY SENATOR KATIE BRITT, A MOM OF TWO AND THE YOUNGEST REPUBLICAN WOMAN ELECTED TO THE SENATE, LED THE EFFORT WITH DEMOCRATIC SENATOR TIM KAINE. I DON’T HAVE TO ASK PEOPLE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE RAISING KIDS RIGHT NOW. SO, SO MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT I’VE EXPERIENCED IN MY OWN LIFE. SHE MET WITH CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND ADVOCATES TO DISCUSS THE IMPACTS. IT ENABLED A LOT OF PARENTS TO GO BACK TO WORK. BRITT FRAMED THE PUSH AS AN ECONOMIC ISSUE. IT’S HOW SHE CONVINCED HER PARTY TO GET ON BOARD THE DEPENDABILITY OF CHILDCARE AFFORDABILITY. ACCESSIBILITY IS AN IMPEDIMENT TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN THE WORKFORCE. 99% OF THE KIDS WHO GO TO THIS CHILDCARE CENTER IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, RELY ON FEDERAL SUBSIDIES. AND WITHOUT THAT FUNDING, THEIR PARENTS WOULD HAVE NO OPTIONS. LOWER INCOME FAMILIES IN AT LEAST FIVE OTHER STATES, ALL RUN BY DEMOCRATS, ARE BRACING FOR POTENTIAL DISRUPTIONS AFTER THE WHITE HOUSE ATTEMPTED TO FREEZE CERTAIN FEDERAL CHILD CARE FUNDING, CITING FRAUD CONCERNS. WHAT IF IT JUST WENT AWAY? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? FIGURE IT OUT. THERE YOU GO. IT WOULD BE HARD, THOUGH, RIGHT? IF WE DIDN’T HAVE DAYCARE. I DON’T KNOW, MOST PARENTS WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO SURVIVE. JULIE SIRKIN, NBC NEWS, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA. SHARING A PASSION FOR SCIENCE WITH STUDENTS, THE IMAGINE UPSTATE STEAM FESTIVAL TOOK OVER MAIN STREET IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE SATURDAY. THE FREE EVENT GAVE STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATH. THE HANDS ON APPROACH SATURDAY MARKED THE FESTIVAL’S TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY, CONNECTING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH EDUCATION AND WORK OPPORTUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE UPSTATE VICTORIA. AND THIS MORNING, AGAIN, SEEING TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S RIGHT NOW HERE IN GREENVILLE 40S, WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, AND PRETTY MUCH THE REST OF THE UPSTATE, WE’RE AT 38 DEGREES RIGHT NOW IN PICKENS. SO OF COURSE, IT IS A COLD START TO OUR DAY DUE TO YESTERDAY’S COLD FRONT. BUT WE DO START TO WARM UP THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE BREEZE COMING IN FROM THE SOUTH AGAIN, THE SOUTHERLY BREEZE WILL PUSH CLOUDS OUR DIRECTION, SO EVENTUALLY WE DO TURN PARTLY CLOUDY THIS AFTERNOON, BUT WE TAKE OUR TEMPERATURES TOWARDS THE UPPER 60S FOR TODAY, WHICH IS NEAR AVERAGE FOR THE START OF APRIL. SO IT’LL FEEL NICE OUTSIDE, JUST NOT MAYBE POOL WEATHER OR LAKE WEATHER. AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE MOUNTAINS. SIMILAR STORY. COLDER START TODAY WITH THE BREEZE COMING IN FROM THE NORTH NORTHWEST. NOW WE WILL KEEP THAT NORTHERLY BREEZE FOR THE MOUNTAINS, SO THIS WILL KEEP US IN THE LOW 60S. LATER THIS AFTERNOON. ONCE THE WINDS FINALLY EASE LATER TODAY, WE TRY TO WARM UP FOR TOMORROW. WE’RE BACK IN THE 70S AND THEN THAT FRONT STARTS TO MOVE THROUGH. COLDEST WEATHER ARRIVES BY WEDNESDAY WITH THAT BREEZE. SO I’LL GO OVER THE DETAILS AND ONE MORE LOOK AT OUR FOUR-DAY PLUS HERE IN JUST A COUPLE MINUTES. DESTINY. THANK YOU VICTORIA. HERE’S ANOTHER LOOK AT OUR TRAFFIC. LOVE THIS BEAUTIFUL LIVE LOOK FROM OUR WOODRUFF ROAD SKYCAM. LOVE TO SEE THAT WOODRUFF ROAD IS TYPICALLY SUPER BUSY, BUT IT’S GETTING THERE, SO RIGHT NOW’S THE PERFECT TIME TO HEAD OUT THE DOOR. YOU WON’T BE RUSHING AT ALL. YOUR TRAVEL TIMES ARE IN THE GREEN. I 26 EASTBOUND I 240 TO ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY, AN 11 MINUTE DRIVE I-95 SOUTHBOUND AIRPORT ROAD TO WOODRUFF ROAD, FIVE MINUTES AND 35 NORTHBOUND FAIRVIEW ROAD TO DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE, 13 MINUTES. AN ANNUAL HOLIDAY TRADITION AT THE WHITE HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TODAY. FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN 13 AND YOUNGER WILL BE JOINING THE PRESIDENT, FIRST LADY AND WHITE HOUSE STAFF FOR THE EASTER EGG ROLL ON THE SOUTH LAWN THIS YEAR. PATRIOTIC THEMES ARE BEING ADDED TO HONOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY. THE FIRST WHITE HOUSE EASTER EGG ROLL WAS HELD BACK IN 1878 DURING THE PRESIDENCY OF RUTHERFORD B HAYES TODAY SHOW TODAY SHOW CO-HOST SAVANNAH GUTHRIE IS RETURNING TO THE SHOW THIS MORNING FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HER MOTHER’S DISAPPEARANCE. GUTHRIE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SHE’S CHANGED PERSON, AND IT’S HARD TO GO FORWARD WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED TO NANCY GUTHRIE. AUTHORITIES BELIEVE NANCY WAS TAKEN AGAINST HER WILL FROM HER ARIZONA HOME. DESPITE AN INTENSE SEARCH, THERE HA

Overnight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 63. South southwest wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Sunday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog between 7am and 1pm. High near 73. Southwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 45. North wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. North wind 3 to 6 mph. Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Light and variable wind. Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Friday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 81.Overnight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 63. South southwest wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Sunday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog between 7am and 1pm. High near 73. Southwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear,