The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday it has temporarily suspended plans to anchor oil barges in the Hudson River at 10 locations from Yonkers to Kingston, pending a Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment of the river.
Last year, the Coast Guard circulated an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public comment on a proposed rule on new anchorage grounds for commercial vessels on the Hudson River. Currently there is one seasonal site. More than 10,200 public comments were received during the period ending Dec. 6, 2016.
After reviewing the comments, Rear Adm. Steven Poulin, Commander of the First Coast Guard District, directed a formal study of safety and environmental risks and possible mitigation measures and suspended rulemaking pending further assessment. There will be a two-day workshop this fall with waterway users, agencies and the general public around the Ports and Waterways Safety process, the Coast Guard said.
The anchorages were requested by the Tug & Barge Committee of the Port of New York and New Jersey, the Hudson River Pilots Association and the American Waterways Operators. They said the anchorage sites are needed because of a surge in commercial traffic for crude oil exports.
But environmental and other organizations opposed to the plan said it would expose one of the most scenic rivers in the United States to ecological and safety risks and turn it into a "parking lot" for barges up to 600-feet long.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration also expressed concerns about the proposal and in a joint comment dated Dec. 6, the Department of State, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation said the existing plan was unacceptable.
Groups and individuals who want to participate in the workshops this fall are instructed to email: HudsonRiverPAWSA@uscg.mil by July 21 with name, contact information, connection to the waterway, experience and related skills.