Kingston Freeman: Environmental Advocates of New York is among the organizations voicing opposition to establishing commercial ship anchorages at 10 locations on the Hudson River between Kingston and Yonkers starting in 2017.

The group executive director, Peter Iwanowicz, said it took years to restore the beauty and cleanliness of the river and it is no place for barges and other commercial vessels to park.

“The last thing we need is oil on barges hanging out in the Hudson River,” Iwanowicz said. “We have called on the governor to oppose efforts that would shift dangerous tar sands oil down the Hudson. So far that hasn’t happened. We are trying to put an end to the bomb trains that are flowing through our communities, and we also don’t want to see the Hudson River turned into a parking lot for Big Oil’s product. It just doesn’t belong there and should have never been considered.”

The U.S. Coast Guard’s plan for the anchoring sites has prompted growing criticism from communities along the river.

Recent criticism of the plan also has come from U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, Ulster County Executive Michael Hein, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, the Kingston Sailing Club, Hudson Riverkeeper and Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner, among others.  Read more.