The U.S. Coast Guard has paused a change that Hudson Valley officials say would have opened up the river to increased barge traffic and new anchorages. The news is being celebrated by Congressman Pat Ryan, who is exploring new legislation to address the issue.
Ryan, a Democrat from New York’s 18th House District, announced this week that the Coast Guard temporarily pausedmoving ahead on a change in definition that environmental non-profits and public officials worried would end anchoring restrictions on the Hudson River north of the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
A change to the definition of the Port of New York would have designated much of the Hudson Valley as an inland waterway, just two years after Congress passed restrictions outlawing new anchorages.
Ryan welcomed the news, just weeks after pressing the Coast Guard for answers.
“Well, it was some very good and encouraging news this week after the community rallied all together and said, ‘We fought this fight before a few years ago. We stopped attempts to turn the Hudson River into a parking lot for these dangerous barges for oil, asphalt, and other toxic materials.’ And now, again, to see the Coast Guard try to do it was very concerning and we raised a strong and broad opposition to it,” said Ryan.
Ryan said the Coast Guard has committed to gathering public input, but has not yet released a timeline of when that will process will begin. Until then, the Democrat says constituents can leave their comments on his House website.
“We have a form up there for folks to give their input now, and once the Coast Guard announced their official process, we can make sure folks are directed to that,” said Ryan.
The former Ulster County Executive adds he’s considering new legislation to strengthen the restrictions initially approved by Congress in 2021.
“We’re exploring legislative options there right now. We think there are some paths and should have more news there in the very near term,” said Ryan.
Earlier this week, a letter sent by Ryan and a bipartisan coalition of elected officials in the Hudson Valley to Coast Guard Captain Zeita Merchant cited concerns over impacts on an area of the river that 100,000 people rely on as their source of drinking water. The letter reads in part: “We will continue to support and fight for a Hudson River that is free from commercial barges that threaten the health of our families and ecosystem.”
Democratic Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Wednesday cheered the development.
“The problem is that when you try to store such items in an anchorage above a dotted line, nothing stops an oil fuel spill or an accident on the water that could pollute downstream communities within the protected zone,” said Latimer.
