South Nyack Trustees Formally Oppose Hudson River Anchorages for Oil Barges

NYACK, NY — The South Nyack Board of Trustees opposes in the strongest possible terms the commercial anchorages the Coast Guard proposes for heavier oil barge traffic on the Hudson River.

Village officials also want residents to comment on the Coast Guard’s proposal to create the anchorages between Yonkers in Westchester County and Kingston in Ulster County.

"The Board and I encourage you as residents of South Nyack to voice your concerns on the proposed new anchorage locations identified as USCG-2016-0132," said Mayor Bonnie Christian in a note to residents.

The Coast Guard has extended the comment period to Dec. 6. To submit a comment click here.

Communities along the river have begun forming as a group. The Hudson River Waterfront Alliance is made up communities that would be directly affected by the anchorages.

There's a “Ban the Barges” social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter. There is also a change.org petition.

Here's the full text of the resolution the village board unanimously approved:

WHEREAS, The Coast Guard is considering establishing new anchorage grounds in the Hudson River from Yonkers, NY, to Kingston, NY; and

WHEREAS, the Coast Guard proposed a rule establishing new anchorage grounds in the Hudson River from Yonkers, NY to Kingston, NY; and

WHEREAS, Scenic Hudson, Riverkeeper, the City of Yonkers, and the Villages of Dobbs Ferry, Ossining, Tarrytown, and the Town of Greenburgh and many others have voiced their concern and opposition to establishing new anchorage grounds; and

WHEREAS, views of the Hudson will be disturbed for the Village of South Nyack; and

WHEREAS, the proposed anchorage site abuts the main shipping channel of the river, which will increase congestion and may lead to collisions; and

WHEREAS, recreational boaters will be required to navigate either in the main channel used by large commercial vessels or bypass the anchorage to the west in shallow waters; and

WHEREAS, large anchoring equipment used by commercial vessels disturbs bottom sediments and can damage wildlife habitats, including those of endangered species residing in the river; and

WHEREAS, the value of property in the Village of South Nyack, as with other river municipalities, relates directly to the views of the Hudson River; and

WHEREAS, the anchoring of unmanned, unlit barges potentially carrying large amounts of fuel is a health, safety and welfare concern with the possibilities of spillage, home land security issues and aesthetic concerns; and

WHEREAS, the Village of South Nyack lacks the marine resources to adequately patrol and protect our waterfront from the additional threats to our health, safety and welfare caused by these new anchorage grounds; and

WHEREAS, the foregoing impacts of the new anchorage grounds have not been adequately studied; indeed, not all impacts have been identified;

#48 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of South Nyack does hereby register its strongest possible opposition to proposed rule USCG 2016-13701 and urges its disapproval; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of South Nyack urges residents to voice their concerns on the proposed new anchorage locations identified as USCG-2016-0132 at http://www.regulations.gov bySeptember 7, 2016; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be distributed to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator David Carlucci, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Congressman Eliot Engel, and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee.

The resolution was seconded by Deputy Mayor Leinbach and unanimously adopted.

CHARTLET: USCG