WAMC: A new law allows New York state to create guidelines that will restrict where oil tankers can anchor on the Hudson River.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation that lets the state establish guidelines for “tanker avoidance zones.” The Democrat says the new law protects the river’s ecosystem as well as residents who live along the Hudson’s banks.

The legislation was introduced after the U.S. Coast Guard proposed to allow petroleum-bearing vessels traveling between Albany and New York City to anchor at 10 locations. Shipping industry officials sought the new anchorage sites for vessels required to wait for weather improvement, icebreaking or other voyage factors.

The proposal prompted opposition from thousands of Hudson Valley residents who feared the plan would pose safety problems as well as threaten the environment and spoil scenic river views.  Listen here.