Temporary Pause on Barge Anchoring in the Hudson

Mindy Cohn

Public outcry and support from lawmakers and environmental groups have caused the Coast Guard to reconsider the expansion of the Port of New York. 

Controversy arose last month after the Coast Guard made some changes to redefine the Port of New York. Until this point, vessels north of Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge were not allowed to anchor unless there was a great emergency. Vessels were only permitted to anchor in the designated Hyde Park Anchorage Ground. The expanded port allowed barges to anchor virtually anywhere on the Hudson River, as reported in Rockland Daily here. 

As of Monday, the Coast Guard has temporarily paused barge anchoring. Lawmakers and environmental groups are calling for a permanent ban on anchoring. 

"We won this initial victory because our community stood up and fought together. But unfortunately, we know this success is temporary," says Congressman Pat Ryan. "Now is the time for all of us to double down on our commitment to stop big corporations from turning our Hudson River into a parking lot for dangerous barges... It's up to all of us to protect our kids, our drinking water, and our entire ecosystem."