Seven years ago, North River Shipyard installed three moorings in the Hudson River just north of the Cuomo bridge – it was done so illegally.  Finally, after becoming aware that a lawsuit was impending, the Shipyard applied to the Army Corps for an after-the-fact permit – see below public notice. 

 

UNEPF analyzed the true contents of Shipyard's "mooring application."  The Application is so filled with inaccuracies and deceipt that the Application and associated Public Notice must be deemed defective.  The Public Notice does not state the true sets of activities to be approved and doesn’t not clearly state the impact to the area.  This Permit seeks to (i) encumber 45 acres of water, over one square mile, with moorings and barges – 10x more than what is on the face of the Application and (ii) prewires multiple dredging events without regulatory oversight and no duty to perform customary impact studies. 

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Your attention and advocacy is urgently needed to protect our community’s beauty, safety, and property values. If you do not write to the Army Corps and our Representatives, the permit will be issued and the damage to our area irreversible – see below Template letter.  Other attempts to install moorings in the Hudson River have failed, but the public spoke out.  Our area has one opportunity to stop this. 

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The implications are dire:

• Aesthetic Damage: The serene beauty of the Hudson that we cherish is at risk.

• Navigational Hazards: The safety of our waters will be jeopardized.

• Property Values: Our investments in our homes and community are likely impacted.

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Equally concerning is the evident insufficiency of the public notice:

• The notice neither contains nor provides access to the full application or any related documentation.

• There’s only a vague reference to compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

• There is no indication that studies were undertaken to determine the best or alternative locations for these moorings.

• Stakeholders, like you and me, seem to have been entirely overlooked in their evaluation.

• The historical significance of our district, as a New York State Historical District, has been ignored.

• The notice fails to detail how these moorings are expected to be utilized.

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We must act swiftly. The public comment period concludes on November 27 and our representatives need your input well in advance.  Attached to this email is a letter template that you can utilize to voice your concerns. We implore you to write and call our representatives and the Army Corps of Engineers to:

1. Demand the outright rejection and termination of this application.

2. At the very minimum, insist on a public hearing where we, the affected stakeholders, can voice our concerns.

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Every voice counts. Let's stand united to preserve the integrity and beauty of this area.  Who knows what will be taken next or how our rights and interests will be infringed upon.