Victory on the Hudson: Congressman Pat Ryan’s Bill to Permanently Ban Barges on the Hudson River Signed into Law

Congressman Pat Ryan’s Hudson River Protection Act has been signed into law, marking a victory for the Hudson River and the communities that rely on it for drinking water. The law permanently bans additional barge anchorages on the Hudson, preventing large industrial barges from using the river as a parking lot and reducing the risk of pollution, spills, and habitat damage.  In effect, the bill freezes anchorage locations between Yonkers and Kingston as they were in early 2021.

For the Hudson 7, anchorage policy directly affects water quality and public safety for the more than 100,000 people in seven mid-Hudson municipalities that rely on the Hudson River for drinking water. 

“The Hudson 7 is an intermunicipal council representing seven mid-Hudson municipalities that rely on the Hudson River as a drinking water source for more than 100,000 people in Ulster and Dutchess Counties, and that responsibility demands a precautionary approach to the siting and regulation of activities on the Hudson River,” said Gary Bassett, Chair of the Hudson 7.  “While the Hudson 7 will continue to closely monitor activities that could threaten our drinking water supplies or the river’s critical habitat, today we thank Congressman Ryan for his sustained leadership in advancing the Hudson River Protection Act.”

Hudson 7 will continue to advocate for stronger protections and greater flexibility to safeguard our shared drinking water source.