ALBANY – The tanker avoidance
zone legislation that is aimed at safeguarding the Hudson River from the
location of commercial anchorages has been signed into law.
The measure was sponsored by Assemblywoman Didi Barrett and Senator Susan
Serino.
The lawmakers said the new law is a milestone for the future health of
the Hudson River and a victory for all those who opposed the US Coast
Guard’s proposal to allow large increases in petroleum vessel traffic
along a 91-mile stretch between Kingston and Yonkers.
Barrett said the state is now in “a much stronger position to keep
future anchorages from being sited anywhere along the Hudson River.”
She said an increase in petroleum tankers “would pose a direct threat
to coastal fish and wildlife, drinking water, the safety of waterfront
communities, and economic development in our beautiful region.”
Serino called the new law “a major victory for our local communities,
our local environment and the Hudson River.”
Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said the legislation “was borne
from a tidal wave of civic engagement along the river.”
The Coast Guard, which had considered the anchorages when requested by
a commercial marine association, is now going to conduct a Ports and Waterways
Safety Assessment on the river to identify and evaluate the risks of the
proposals.
