Kingston Daily Freeman: A bipartisan effort to give New York additional say over large-vessel anchorage locations on the Hudson River has won final approval in the state Legislature and is heading to the governor’s desk.

The bill giving New York the authority to establish “tanker avoidance zones” on the lower Hudson was approved 61-1 by the state Senate late Wednesday. It was introduced by state Sen. Sue Serino, R-Hyde Park, and co-sponsored by state Sen. George Amedore, R-Rotterdam.

The legislation cleared the state Assembly on Tuesday in a 93-2 vote. It was introduced there by Assemblywoman Didi Barrett, D-Hudson.

Lawmakers wrote the legislation as a pre-emptive move to strengthen the state’s position regarding 10 possible anchorage sites between Kingston and Yonkers that have been proposed by the maritime industry and are being considered by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Serino, in a statement issued at 12:11 a.m. Thursday, said: “I cannot stress it enough: Our communities have worked far too hard for far too long on revitalizing our waterfront to risk compromising the Hudson River. This bill is critically important to ensure that the state is empowered to do all that it can to ensure that our river environment and local communities are protected. …

“This is a great example of all that can be accomplished when partners at every level come together to put our environment and our community first, and I hope that the governor will recognize the importance of this legislation and make its signing a priority,” Serino said.  Read more