Looking across the Hudson, to Newburgh, from the Beacon waterfront

POUGHKEEPSIE – Environmental organization Scenic Hudson Wednesday issued a report to New York State saying there are successes in the state’s Coastal Management Program, but recommending immediate action to protect the Hudson River’s coastline. That is receiving insufficient oversight and support from the state and federal governments, the report said.

The leading environmental group in the region listed the top coastal management problems as:

• Municipalities and state agencies frequently are making decisions that will impact the health of the river’s coast and communities for generations without vital data or technical support from the state.
• The state’s Coastal Management Program is authorized as the lead decision-maker in only 4 percent of Hudson Valley permit decisions.
• The Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, proven to help create healthy and economically vibrant communities, is severely hampered by a lack of staff.
• Federal funding for the CMP has been dramatically reduced despite the Hudson Valley’s numerous federal designations and escalating growth pressures.

Several local officials commented on the report. Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce President Charles North said the region “finally has a guide” to follow.

“Scenic Hudson has put together a comprehensive study for a guide for us to follow and we all want to work together to make the Hudson River Valley a better place for all of us,” he said.

Newburgh City Manager Jean McGrane, a former DEC regional director, said with the region’s rapidly changing economic and environmental conditions, the state “needs a strong Coastal Management Program to ensure that local leaders have the information they need to make and implement decisions that will create prosperity for current and future generations.”