Examiner News: Regional elected, environmental and business leaders banded together Wednesday night to condemn a proposal by the United States Coast Guard to create 10 new anchorage sites with dozens of commercial barges along the Hudson River from Yonkers to Kingston.

At a standing-room only hearing attended by approximately 100 at Croton Village Hall, which was sponsored by state senators Terrence Murphy (R/Yorktown), Sue Serino (R/Hyde Park) and David Carlucci (D/Clarkstown), who collectively represent about 900,0000 constituents, officials took turns criticizing the Coast Guard for unveiling a plan that would encompass more than 2,000 acres of the river without first informing affected municipalities.

“Tonight is all about transparency,” said Murphy, who noted the Coast Guard was invited to attend the hearing but declined. “The reality is this was flying under the table. It was going low. The Coast Guard’s proposal raises concerns on many levels. Many towns along the Hudson have spent millions of dollars in revitalizing their waterfronts. And needless to say, the presence of unattended barges filled with oil poses a security risk.”  Read more.