Westchester Officials Stand Strong Against Riverfront Barge Parking

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is leading the charge of Hudson Valley officials that are against a proposal that would allow barge parking anchor points off the shore. Hudson Valley officials, marine pilots and concerned residents protest a proposed rule by the United States Coast Guard which would create six new commercial barge anchorages in the Town of Cortlandt along the Hudson.

Westchester Legislators Pass Resolution Against Riverfront Barge Parking

The Westchester County Board of Legislators passed a resolution in opposition of the Coast Guard's proposal to create anchorage sites for barges that will affect several Westchester communities along the Hudson River. On Monday night, the Board unanimously passed the resolution opposing the Coast Guard's plan, which would include the installation of 16 anchor berths across 715 acres on the water between Yonkers and the Dobbs Ferry Train Station.

A barge and tugboat anchored along the Hudson River near Yonkers,…

A barge and tugboat anchored along the Hudson River near Yonkers, N.Y., Aug. 4, 2016. Officials and many residents say a plan from the maritime industry to create 10 anchorage sites on the river would be a step backward for communities that have worked hard to shed their industrial pasts.

Officials protest additional barge anchorage sites on Hudson

The politicians and environmentalists joined forces Tuesday to raise a red flag about a controversial new plan by the Coast Guard to establish 10 new anchorage sites for barges - the size of football fields - on the Hudson River from Yonkers to Kingston The barges could carry any number of chemicals, including crude oil, which is why lawmakers are opposed to it, citing safety, security and environmental concerns In Montrose Point in northern Westchester, the Coast Guard is proposing two anchorage sites for as many as six barges. Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano says the Coast Guard wants to build its largest site, spanning 715 acres from Yonkers to Dobbs Ferry.