IIRC,the Oriskany was recently sunk to make an artifical reef. Seems to me, that would be a far preferable fate for the Big E rather than scrapping her, and probably cost about the same.
I read that the expense of preparing a “defueled” Big E for either a museum or sinking as a reef is all out of proportion to the benefit.
Enterprise has 8 reactors, and to remove the nuclear reactors and the powerplant, the ship has to have large access holes cut, literally, FRom the Hangar Deck to the bilges.
Very expensive to replace! And, if the ship is to be moved after those large access holes are cut, they must be replaced. Worthwhile if the ship is to kept in service, not so if scrapped or prepared to be sunk for a reef.
Enterprise will most likely be scrapped, at enormous expense, but still cheaper than if rendered whole again.
Then, there is the Environmental Whacko argument about sinking ships in the ocean. Since they have the upper hand in all things governmental, the cost to “properly render the hulk safe so as not to pollute the oceans” will be prohibitive.
Oriskany was sunk for a reef, and America was sunk in a series of weapons tests (the results are secret, BTW).
IIRC, the rest of the decommissioned aircraft carriers are either museum ships, in mothballs or have been cut up for scrap.