The U.S. Coast Guard has reversed itself at least for now and withdrawn a ruling that would have allowed barges containing hazardous substances to be moored along the Hudson River. Environmentalists as well as elected officials protested the move that would have opened up the river above the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge to being used as what was described as a “parking lot” for barges.
The Coast Guard’s action temporarily restores the geographic scope of the Port of New York to encompass the Hudson River from New York Harbor to Albany. This means that north of the Cuomo Bridge, unless there’s an emergency, vessels are only permitted to anchor in the designated Hyde Park Anchorage Ground. The Coast Guard said it will be studying what to do next by using the procedures of a Notice of Inquiry.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer reacted by commending the Coast Guard’s decision.
“For years now, Westchester County strongly opposed this proposal due to its potential impact on the Hudson River’s natural beauty, the potential impact on our scenic River Towns lining the Hudson’s banks and the fear of environmental degradation after years of dedicated efforts to clean up the river,” Latimer said “As we continue our commitment to environmental stewardship, we look forward to collaborative efforts to safeguard the Hudson River and its surroundings.”
The nonprofit group Riverkeeper, which had been instrumental in opposing the Coast Guard’s action, called the reversal a milestone in the campaign to protect the Hudson River from the potential harms that would result from any increase in anchoring by large commercial vessels.
“Advocates, communities, and government agencies all have significant concerns over the risks that anchored vessels pose to endangered sturgeon, community waterfront plans, and drinking water sources. Riverkeeper will ensure that the public’s concerns are fully considered in any future proposal for new anchoring regulations,” said Drew Gamils, a staff attorney at Riverkeeper. “Riverkeeper is grateful to Congressman Pat Ryan and other elected officials who helped raise the alarm over the Coast Guard’s actions regarding the Port of New York, and we look forward to a full and transparent process with the Coast Guard moving forward.”
Rep. Ryan said, “We won this initial victory because our community stood up and fought together. But unfortunately, we know this success is temporary. Now is the time for all of us to double down on our commitment to stop big corporations from turning our Hudson River into a parking lot for dangerous barges.”
