Hudson Independent: The Coast Guard has shelved its proposal to add 43 barge anchorage locations on the Hudson River, but environmental organizations are keeping a watchful eye on how the plan might be resurrected in the future.
The controversial concept, pursued by the shipping industry and initially proposed two years ago, drew opposition from municipalities and much of the public, with environmental groups leading the resistance. A major concern was that with the added anchorage sites, hazardous cargoes such as oil could leak into the Hudson River from the barges.
Pressed by the opposition, the Coast Guard suspended the plan last year and held two workshops this past November, one in Albany and the other in Poughkeepsie, to hear from both the maritime interests and those against the proposal.
Last month, the Coast Guard released an account of the issues dealt with at the workshops: the Hudson River Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) Report. The release stated, “The PAWSA workshops were held in order to provide stakeholders an opportunity to assist the Coast Guard in understanding navigation safety and environmental concerns on the Hudson River.” It called the report, “a starting point for continuing dialogue with the Hudson River stakeholder community.” The anchorage issue was placed in abeyance, at least for the present. Read more.













