After receiving much feedback about the proposed anchorages on the Hudson River, Rear Adm. Steven Poulin, Commander of the First Coast Guard District, has suspended future rulemaking decisions and directed a formal risk identification and evaluation of the Hudson River, known as a Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA). This study is conducted to learn more about the safety and environmental risks associated with the myriad waterway uses of the Hudson River. At the moment, there is only one seasonal anchorage ground on the Hudson River between Yonkers and Kingston, New York.

More than 10,200 comments were received from waterway stakeholders during the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) comment period that ended December 6, 2016. You can read a summary of the comments received here. According to Lieutenant Karen Love Kutkiewicz, Public Affairs Officer of the First Coast Guard District, the comments generally fell into one of the following three categories: 1. Those opposed to creating anchorage grounds (94%); 2. Those in support (3%); and 3. Those reflecting a neutral opinion (3%). 

Kutkiewicz also adds “The Hudson River is a beautiful national treasure. It also serves as a source of drinking water, recreation, tourism and economic prosperity. The river historically has been and will remain a vital corridor for maritime commerce. The Coast Guard’s role on the river includes protecting the environment and promoting navigational safety. These are complementary objectives, as safer navigation inherently improves environmental protection.”

In the fall, a group of waterway users and stakeholders will conduct a two-day structured workshop to meet these objectives and ensure the PAWSA process is a joint effort involving waterway users, stakeholders, and agencies to determine the safety of the waterway.

If members of the public wish to be considered for participation in the workshops, please email: HudsonRiverPAWSA@uscg.mil by July 21 with your name, contact information, connection to the waterway, experience, and related skills.