Thursday, September 1, 2016

"All Risk, No Reward"

That's how Democratic congressional candidate Zephyr Teachout summarized the impact of the proposal to establish commercial ship anchorages at ten locations on the Hudson River in a press conference yesterday at Rondout Creek in Kingston. She characterized the proposal, as many others have, as an explicit request for the Hudson River "to become a parking lot."

Teachout appeared with Ulster County Executive Michael Hein. Coverage of the event appears in the Kingston Daily Freeman: "Don't turn Hudson River into 'parking lot,' congressional candidate Teachout urges." The article is followed by links to several other articles on the issue that have appeared in the Daily Freeman.

The anchorage ground--forty-three berths in ten locations from Yonkers to Kingston--is being proposed by U.S. Coast Guard. Public comments and concerns are now being solicited. The deadline for submitting comments is September 7. Comments can be submitted by clicking here.
COPYRIGHT 2016 CAROLE OSTERINK

7 comments:

  1. A parking lot for barges is a good way to describe the proposal - now before the State of New York - for the City of Hudson's south waterfront by A. Colarusso and Son, Inc.

    In the above story, the objectionable moorings for oil barges are all downriver, so why have we heard nothing about a similar proposal right in our own backyard?

    What assurance do we have that moorings, once they're established at the proposed revetment, will it be limited to gravel barges?

    Do readers even know what I'm talking about? Ask yourselves, why not?

    Our current predicament was the cost of appointing a Colarusso spokesman to the Waterfront Advisory Steering Committee (WASC).

    Whether its the logging of City-owned resources on Becraft Mountain, the unauthorized installation of a prohibited road in a conservation zoning district, or the proposed revetment (with barge berths to follow) which ought to concern the WASC, the degree to which the City is quietly rolling over for this company would have inspired outrage during the Hallenbeck administration.

    Nowadays, we only hear the crickets of hypocrisy.

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  2. Just as the cement plant was considered our problem ( in Rhinebeck), this is our problem too. If an accident happens anywhere in the Hudson , it will effect us all.
    Here is good information from Riverkeeper. Read- and please comment on the coast guard comment page ( open until Sept 7) .
    http://www.riverkeeper.org/campaigns/river-ecology/anchorages/

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    1. But don't you see? Hudsonians don't even care about Hudson's environment anymore!

      Hudson is about food, alcohol, swat meets and self-righteousness.

      Thanks for what you're doing though. The Coast Guard, which has done a very good job so far, will get at least one comment from here.

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    2. I am going to submit comments to the Coast Guard. What's a better strategy -- urging the Coast Guard to reject the anchorage proposal, or calling for full public hearings? Holding hearings would be an effective way to delay implementation of the plan for a while. Please advise.

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    3. Good question (and good for you!). I'll make inquiries.

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  3. I just renewed my membership in Riverkeeper. It is on the front lines of this battle.

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