Congressman Lawler Participates in Legislation Protecting Hudson River From Anchorage Barges

Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) recently joined his Hudson Valley colleagues Pat Ryan (NY-18) and Marc Molinaro (NY-19) on H.R. 6356, the Hudson River Protection Act. This bipartisan bill will prevent the construction of additional anchorages north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. 

The legislation became necessary after a recent Coast Guard information bulletin redefined the Port of New York and classified the area north of the Tappan Zee as subject to the Coast Guard's "Inland Navigation Rules," opening virtually the entire area to anchorage barges as reported by Rockland Daily here.

"Preserving the health of the Hudson River is a priority we all share and is something that I have been vocal about since taking office," says Congressman Lawler.  "That's why I opposed Holtec's plans to release radioactive wastewater into the Hudson from the decommissioned Indian Point Energy Center. It is also why I joined several colleagues from both parties in introducing the NY-NJ Watershed Protection Act earlier this year."

"Anchorage barges on the Hudson River would substantially increase the risk of spillage from vessels carrying oil, asphalt, and other hazardous materials while also jeopardizing the safety of recreational boaters due to the increased commercial traffic," Representative Lawler continues. "That's unacceptable and it is why I helped spearhead this legislation to prevent those risks."

“We owe it to our kids, our seniors, and future generations to fight with everything we’ve got," says Representative Pat Ryan. "This legislation will stop big corporations from turning our Hudson River into a parking lot for dangerous barges once and for all. These dangerous barges threaten the health and safety of our kids, the more than 100,000 people who rely on the river for their drinking water, and our entire ecosystem. We must continue to stand up with one voice to fight for our River."

“Our bipartisan bill is a line in the sand. We will not sit on the sidelines and watch others jeopardize the Hudson River, its drinking water, and ecosystem. Some issues, like protecting the Hudson River, are bigger than politics and demand a unified, bipartisan front,” says Representative Marc Molinaro.