Hudson River Anchorages
Oil barge at Kingston, Carolyn Marks Blackwood
Riverkeeper and the public will need to speak up, once again, to protect endangered species and drinking water supplies
Riverkeeper and the public have made clear that we want strict limits on where, and for how long, commercial vessels are allowed to anchor in the Hudson River. Hazardous cargoes, creeping industrialization, impacts on drinking water supplies, and threats to endangered sturgeon are among the top concerns.
During Fall 2023, Riverkeeper successfully challenged a sudden change in U.S. Coast Guard policy that effectively allowed any vessel – including ships and tug-and-barge units – to anchor virtually anywhere north of Tarrytown. Riverkeeper alerted the Coast Guard that its policy was unlawful, and the agency has temporarily reversed course.
It will soon be time for all of us to speak up.
As the Coast Guard considers changes to its anchoring regulations and policies in the near future, it will be collecting public comments and feedback through a process called a Notice of Inquiry. Riverkeeper is committed to engaging with you and amplifying your voice during this period, just as we did in 2016 when the Coast Guard received an unprecedented 10,000 comments opposing the maritime industry’s request to establish 10 new designated “anchorage grounds” in the river between Yonkers and Kingston, N.Y.
Riverkeeper is already working with communities that draw their drinking water from the Hudson, who face a heightened risk to their water supplies under the Coast Guard’s new policy. We are also working with experts to identify and protect areas essential to the survival of our endangered Hudson River sturgeon and other critical habitat areas. Learn more here >
We will continue to keep you informed. Learn more by signing up for email updates.
