major hurricane

Abandoned vessels can linger in waterways for years, polluting ecosystems and complicating navigation. A new initiative is trying to shift the tides.

The storm is expected to strengthen before nearing land late Tuesday. Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida have declared states of emergency in anticipation of Irma.

A major hurricane hasn't hit the U.S. since 2005. There hasn't been a lull that long since 1861 to 1868 — when Abraham Lincoln was president.