NEWARK, NJ – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez (both D-NJ) urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Cops) to consider the probable adverse impacts of a permit application before the agency proposing the installation of a mooring buoy for commercial barges in the Hudson River just north of Ellis Island and east of Liberty State Park. In a letter to Col. David Caldwell, the Commander of Army Corp’s New York District, Booker and Menendez cited the potential impact the project could have on tourism, water quality, and the historic, cultural and aesthetic significance of Liberty State Park.
"Located adjacent to two of America’s most iconic and enduring symbols of freedom and opportunity, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, a mooring site for multiple barges containing aggregate materials may affect current tourism ferry traffic, raises questions regarding the impact on the environment and water quality, and degrades the aesthetic quality of the historic view of the harbor from New Jersey’s Liberty State Park.,” the lawmakers wrote. "As you review the public input regarding the permit application for this particular mooring, we urge the Army Corps to strongly consider the probable adverse impacts cause by the Jersey City location."
According to an Army Corps public notice, the mooring buoy would accommodate a configuration of up to five barges, each measuring 195-feet by 35-feet. However, the public notice does not specify the type of materials being carried by potential barges, the final destination of the materials, or the duration of how long barges would be permitted to sit unutilized in the middle of the New York Harbor. Today is the deadline for all public comments to be submitted to Amry Corps regarding the permit application.
The full text of the letter follows:
April 25, 2016
Col. David A. Caldwell
Commander
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
26 Federal Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10278
RE: Public Notice No. NAN-2016-00174-EPI
Dear Colonel Caldwell:
We write in regard to the application before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District (Army Corps) to construct four commercial mooring buoys in locations throughout the Hudson River, New York Harbor, and Jamaica Bay. Specifically, we write regarding the Upper Bay of New York Harbor, Jersey City location. The application proposes to install a single steel-mooring buoy north of Ellis Island, which will serve as a temporary mooring location for commercial barges carrying aggregate materials.
We are concerned that the proposed location just north of Ellis Island and east of Liberty State Park would present undesirable impacts to Liberty State Park and the New York Harbor. Located adjacent to two of America’s most iconic and enduring symbols of freedom and opportunity, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, a mooring site for multiple barges containing aggregate materials may affect current tourism ferry traffic, raise questions regarding the impact on the environment and water quality, and degrade the aesthetic quality of the historic view of the harbor from New Jersey’s Liberty State Park.
It is unclear from the public notice the specific materials being carried by potential barges, the final destination of the materials, or the duration of how long barges would be permitted to sit unutilized in the middle of the New York Harbor. A number of our constituents have raised concerns as to how this proposal would affect the cultural, historic, and aesthetic significance of Liberty State Park and the iconic view it offers to its millions of annual visitors. We urge you to strongly consider these concerns during your review.
As you review the public input regarding the permit application for this particular mooring, we urge the Army Corps to strongly consider the probable adverse impacts cause by the Jersey City location. We believe that when considering the cumulative effects on conservation, existing maritime traffic and navigation, water quality, aesthetics of historic Liberty State Park, and public interest, the reasonably foreseeable detriments far outweigh the expected public benefit. Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
Cory A. Booker Robert Menendez
United States Senator United States Senator