Two Hudson Valley congressmen introduced a bill to permanently ban additional barge anchorages on the Hudson River.

The Hudson River Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Pat Ryan, D-NY-18, and Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-NY-19, would amend the Elijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act to ban "additional anchorages once and for all", according to a press release from Molinaro's office.

A change from the Coast Guard could redefine the definition of the Port of New York, significantly shrinking its footprint and opening up the rest of the river for anchoring by container barges. Ryan had previously voiced opposition to the change, addressing his concerns in a letter to the Coast Guard.

Both Molinaro and Ryan released statements regarding their bill; Molinaro called it "a line in the sand."

"We will not sit on the sidelines and watch others jeopardize the Hudson River, its drinking water, and ecosystem. Some issues, like protecting the Hudson River, are bigger than politics and demand a unified, bipartisan front," Molinaro said.

Ryan, in his statement, said the bill was meant to stop corporations from turning the Hudson into "a parking lot for dangerous barges."