Ryan raps Coast Guard plan to turn Hudson River into ‘parking lot … – The Daily Freeman

KINGSTON, N.Y. – Barges carrying oil, asphalt, and other hazardous materials could soon be allowed to indefinitely park virtually anywhere along the Hudson River in Upstate, according to U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan.

Ryan, D-Gardiner, who represents the 18th Congressional District, said Wednesday that after a recent administrative change to the definition of the Port of New York, Ryan had pushed the U.S. Coast Guard for answers.

“After finally receiving a response that left the door open to barges lining the Hudson, Ryan is demanding the Coast Guard uphold the Hudson River anchoring ban,” a press release said.

“This would turn the Hudson River into a parking lot for dangerous oil barges, threatening the health and safety of our kids, the more than 100,000 people who rely on the river for their drinking water, and our entire ecosystem,” Ryan said in a statement.

“Just a few years ago, a coalition led by local community leaders and nonprofits like Riverkeeper and Scenic Hudson banded together to protect our River from big corporations who were putting their profits ahead of our health and safety,” Ryan said. “We must once again stand up with one voice to fight for our River.”

Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said the barge-parking must be stopped.

“Communities in our region have made their voices clear: the Hudson River is a cherished natural resource whose protection is vital to the environment and economy of the region,” Sullivan said in a statement. “The U.S. Coast Guard’s plan to open its waters to unrestricted anchoring is an end-run around federal law and prior restrictions adopted through a consensus process led by the Coast Guard itself. The plan threatens to undermine decades of work to sustain and enhance the river’s beauty and health for future generations.”

John Lipscomb, who is Riverkeeper patrol boat captain and vice president of advocacy, said the Hudson is no place for barrage-parking.

“Riverkeeper and the public have made clear that we want strict limits on where, and for how long, large commercial vessels are allowed to anchor in the Hudson River,” Lipscomb said. “The ability to anchor virtually anywhere increases the risk of spills of petroleum and other hazardous cargo, undermines local revitalization efforts, and threatens to disrupt essential habitat for endangered sturgeon and other aquatic life.

“A serious spill could render over 100,000 people without clean water. It’s critical to protect aquatic life, critical habitat areas, and Hudson River drinking water supplies from these new risks,” Lipscomb added.

The Hudson 7 is an inter-municipal council of seven mid-Hudson municipalities that draw drinking water from the Hudson River for over 100,000 people in Ulster and Dutchess Counties.

“We have significant concerns with new anchorage locations in our watershed that could impact our drinking water intakes and critical habitat areas,” said Rhinebeck Mayor Gary Bassett and chairman of the Hudson 7. “We want restrictions to limit any risk of accidents and spills of hazardous products in the reach of our intakes that could imperil our water supply. With reserves of drinking water that last only 1-3 days, it is imperative that we maintain a safe and reliable drinking water supply.”

In August, Ryan wrote a letter to Captain Zeita Merchant, the sector New York Commander for the Coast Guard, requesting information.

“After a more than two month delay, Michael Emerson, the Director of Marine Transportation Systems, provided a woefully insufficient response that left the door open for dangerous oil barges to line the Hudson,” Ryan’s office said in a statement.