Key bill on anchorages passes Assembly 93-2; Senate must act
June 20, 2017
Riverkeeper Team
The NYS Assembly passed legislation by a vote of 93-2 to help protect the Hudson and waterfront communities from dangerous oil barges and unnecessary anchorages requested by industry. In order for the legislation to make it to the Governor’s desk, the state Senate must pass S.5197b (Serino), through the Rules Committee chaired by Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan.
The legislation (S.5197b/A.6825b) would allow the state Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner to better protect areas of the river that are important habitat for wildlife, as well as areas that are near waterfront communities, from new barge anchorages that could support a massive expansion of crude oil shipments through the Hudson Valley.
With just hours left in the 2017 legislative session, we call on the Senate leadership – Majority Leader Flanagan and Deputy Majority Leader DeFrancisco – to ensure that this legislation makes it onto the powerful Rules Committee agenda and the floor of the Senate.
Given the unprecedented public outcry to the proposed re-industrialization of the river, we urge Senate leadership to pass the bill.
We need your voice now. Here's how to help.
Call Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan: (518) 455-2071
Call Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco: (518) 455-3511
Working Rules Committee:
Bonacic: (518) 455-3181
Young: 716-372-4901
Seward: (518) 455-3131
Lanza: (518) 455-3215
Also, call these Hudson Valley Senate offices:
Serino: (518) 455-2945
Amedore: (518) 455-2350
Murphy: (518) 455-3111
Marchione: (518) 455-2381
What to Say:
Hi, I’m (name) from (town). I’m calling to ask the Senate to pass S.5197b (Serino) and ensure that the “Tanker Avoidance Zone” bill becomes law. This bill must make it through the Rules Committee.
You can also tell your Senator that:
- The Legislature needs to act quickly before the session ends on Wednesday.
- The Coast Guard could move forward with a rulemaking process to establish new anchorage sites on the Hudson River at any time.
- More oil barge traffic would put the Hudson at a greater risk for devastating oil spills, threaten drinking water supplies, and undermine millions of dollars that river towns have spent revitalizing their waterfronts.
Thank you for calling. Please click below to follow up with an e-mail to your state senator.
Learn more at our campaign hub riverkeeper.org/anchorages.
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