UPDATE: Comments wanted on barge parking in the Hudson

When you look out at the Hudson River, what do you hope to see? A bald eagle searching for a snack? A sailboat catching a light breeze? Or a sea of commercial vessels hauling potentially toxic materials anchoring at various locations up the river?

A recent Coast Guard bulletin has opened up the avenue for large barges to anchor “virtually anywhere north of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge,” according to Riverkeeper.

The bulletin issued at the end of July redefined the boundaries for the “Port of New York” to points south of the bridge. “Mariners operating outside of this region therefore are not subject to [ the regulations ] because they are no considered to be in the ‘Port of New York.’”

In 2016, public response to the Coast Guard considering expanding anchorage sites upriver received an unprecedented 10,212 comments that were overwhelmingly opposed to the tug and barge industry’s request for 43 new berths in 10 locations along the river. “The industry’s request went nowhere,” according to Riverkeeper, and so anchorage grounds – formally-designated anchoring locations – north of the Cuomo Bridge were limited to just one location off Hyde Park.

“The concerns are the same now as they were in 2016,” Riverkeeper said in a letter to the Coast Guard. “New anchorage locations affect waterfront tourism, present hazards to public safety and boating, pose new and unmitigated spill risks, increase industrialization of the Hudson Valley, cause noise and light pollution, damage existing and future submerged electric transmission cables, and damage or destroy benthic [bottom] habitat relied upon by federally endangered sturgeon.”

Congressman Pat Ryan is asking residents to submit comments on allowing barges to anchor up the Hudson River: “Just a few years ago, a coalition led by local community organizations, members of Congress, and Hudson Valley families banded together to protect our River from big corporations who were putting their profits ahead of our health and safety. We must once again stand up with one voice to fight for our River.”

Submit your comment, here: https://patryan.house.gov/hudson-river-barge

UPDATE:

On November 13, 2023, The Coast Guard temporarily paused plans for barges to be able to anchor points north of Tarrytown. Their new rule “temporarily restores the geographic scope of the Port of New York to encompass the Hudson River from New York Harbor to Albany,” according to Riverkeeper.

The Coast Guard is also planning to collect public comments and feedback regarding its anchoring regulations in the future.

Here's the full text of the Coast Guard’s update:

Summary: Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) 2023-003 suspends MSIB 2023-001 that outlined the applicability of the Port of New York boundaries.

The Coast Guard remains committed to ensuring the Hudson River continues to be a safe, secure, and environmentally protected waterway for all users. The Coast Guard’s enduring role on the Hudson River includes protecting the environment, promoting navigational safety for all waterway users, and facilitating commerce.

As part of the development of any new rules or regulations affecting the Hudson River, the Coast Guard will engage the public via notice and comment and continue direct liaison with all stakeholders through an open, transparent process.

The Coast Guard is aware of the public’s concerns regarding anchoring on the Hudson River and intends to issue a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) in the Federal Register and undertake extensive public outreach opportunities to explore potential regulatory updates and limited access areas on the Hudson River. The NOI process enables the public an opportunity to provide input ahead of a potential rule, its implications, and potential alternatives.

“Unfortunately, we know this success is temporary,” Rep. Ryan said. “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.”

Congressmen Pat Ryan (D) and Marc Molinaro (R) have introduced bipartisan legislation entitled “The Hudson River Protection Act” to permanently protect the barge ban. The legislation would “amend the 2020 Elijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act, removing any uncertainty related to geographic definitions (such as the Port of New York) and banning additional anchorages once and for all.”

“These dangerous barges threaten the health and safety of our kids, the more than 100,00 people who rely on the river for their drinking water, and our entire ecosystem,” Congressman Ryan added.

Constituents can still share their opinion with the Coast Guard through Rep. Ryan’s office, here.

https://homeport.uscg.mil/Lists/Content/Attachments/82668/MSIB%202023-003%20Port%20of%20New%20York%20Boundaries.pdf

https://www.riverkeeper.org/blogs/ecology/hudson-river-anchorages-its-time-to-stand-up-for-the-river-again/

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