Schumer Urges Feds To Immediately Review And Strongly Support Local & State Plan To Increase And Enhance Access For Boating And Recreational Access On The Hudson River; New River Entry Points Would Increase Access For Boaters, Anglers And Nature Lovers; Would Also Bring Thousands Of New Tourists Per Year & Provide Major Boost To Local Economy

Press Release

At Mine Dock Park in Highland Falls, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer stood with local advocates in front of the historic Hudson River waterfront to voice his support for increased, expanded, and improved pedestrian, fishing and boater access to the waterfront communities of the Hudson Valley. The federal government has historically partnered with local stakeholders to increase water and recreational opportunities, and Schumer said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) should put their full weight and resources behind new water access improvement projects in Orange County. Previous plans have successfully identified and mapped prime locations for waterfront access, and new plans offer tangible opportunities to build on historic achievements up and down the Hudson River. Schumer said that although progress has been made under the Hudson River Estuary Program, more improvements are needed and could use federal support to address the blatant lack of river access for boaters, fishers and nature lovers. Currently, the lack of river access results in local residents and tourists leaving the area to enjoy other waterfronts. Schumer said that the EPA and USACE must start proactively engaging local communities to offer guidance and the potential resources needed to immediately update, improve and expand river access.

"Throughout Orange County and the great Hudson Valley area there is a dire need for increased and enhanced access points for boaters, fishers, recreation seekers and all nature lovers. It shouldn't be next to impossible to find a kayak or boat launch site on the Hudson River -- and river access could be a game changer for the tourism industry and the local economy, not to mention a means of supporting new jobs," said Schumer. "Increasing access points to the Hudson River for boaters, anglers, tourists and nature lovers is desperately needed and would be a real shot in the arm for Orange County. That is why residents have made it a tippy-top priority in the draft Hudson River Estuary Action Plan, and why I'm pushing federal agencies, like the EPA and USACE, to promptly review, approve and help fund this vision for significantly expanded access to this glorious river."

Schumer continued, "These federal agencies must assist our local communities and offer the necessary resources to make each individual project a reality. We should be doing more to ensure residents can access the Hudson and tourists are coming back, summer after summer after summer, to invest right here in the Hudson Valley economy."

As a result, Schumer said that while significant improvements have been made under the Hudson River Estuary Program in NY State, more improvements are needed and could use federal support to address the blatant lack of river access. Schumer said the federal government has historically partnered with local stakeholders and municipalities to increase water and recreational opportunities. Therefore, Schumer called on the EPA and USACE to put their full weight and resources behind new water access improvements projects in Orange County and the greater Hudson Valley area. These two federal agencies oversee the implementation of these types of projects and work with local partners to create federally approved, comprehensive restoration plans that address water access needs. These agencies handle the approvals necessary to increase river access points for residents and tourists, which is why Schumer is urging the EPA and USACE to work with local municipalities and offer guidance on updating, improving and expanding river access to increase economic development opportunities through tourism.

Funding for larger partnership projects, Schumer explained, could be made available through programs like the USACE Section 206 Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration and Section 1135 Environmental Improvement programs. These federal programs provide significant funding, with a 35 percent non-federal match to restore or improve aquatic resources (206) or to modify existing corps projects to restore aquatic resources (1135). Federal funding is also available for acquisition of buffer lands adjacent to the Hudson. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation (CELCP) Program supports state and local governments' ability to acquire coastal and estuarine lands that have ecological conservation, recreation, historical or aesthetic values under threat. CELCP funding provides matching funds to purchase property or conservation of existing properties. There are many potential sources of funding to support this restoration, in addition to the EPA and USACE. Schumer said that, ideally, all funding sources supporting restoration efforts on the Hudson should be coordinated with the goal of ensuring they are complementary and consistent with the overarching restoration plan.

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