UPDATE: Public Comment Deadline Extended for Proposed Barge Anchorage Sites

UPDATE—Thursday, September 1, 2016, 3:40 p.m.:

DOBBS FERRY, NY — The U.S. Coast Guard has extended the deadline for public written comments on the proposed commercial barge anchorages.

A spokeswoman for Riverkeeper said her organization heard directly from the Coast Guard that the new deadline is December 6, 2016.

The announcement comes after New York members of Congress sent a joint letter to the Coast Guard asking that the deadline be extended.

Comments can be left on this website.

Original story—Thursday, September 1, 2016, 1:19 p.m.:

DOBBS FERRY, NY — Members of Congress have asked the Coast Guard to extend by 90 days the deadline for the public comment period regarding the proposed establishment of new anchorage grounds in the Hudson River.

A letter to Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, was sent August 29, 2016, and was signed by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer and Representatives Nita M. Lowey, Eliot L. Engel and Sean Patrick Maloney.

The Coast Guard wants to put 10 new commercial barge anchorage sites in the Hudson River from Yonkers to Kingston.

The last day for submitting written public comment is September 7, 2016.

In the letter, the Congress members said they heard from many elected officials who represent municipalities along the Hudson River, as well as leaders of community organizations and businesses, that they need more time to develop and submit their comments.

“The anchorages proposal has recently received significant media coverage,” the joint letter said, “and as more local residents and businesses become aware of it, we believe an extension of the public comment period would better allow local experts and interested parties an opportunity to comment.

“We appreciate that the U.S. Coast Guard has publicly committed to holding public hearings regarding this proposal, and believe the process would also benefit from a reasonable extension of the public comment period,” it said.

The Congress members said they wanted to ensure that the process “addresses the concerns of the communities along the Hudson River, and provide sufficient opportunities for their input.”

See the complete letter by clicking here.

The a spokeswoman for the Coast Guard confirmed that the letter was received but wouldn’t say if an extension would be granted, according to an article at the Journal News.

Westchester County officials recently launched a social media campaign and online petition against the anchorages proposal.

Photo caption: Mid-Hudson Bridge. Photo credit: Michael Woyton.