William J. Kemble reports in The Daily Freeman that U.S. Coast Guard officials are meeting with with about 45 representatives from environmental groups, municipalities, and the shipping industry Nov. 7 and 8 at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel in another attempt to site large-vessel anchorage grounds on the Hudson River. In June, the Coast Guard suspended its review of a proposal for 10 new anchorage grounds on the river between Kingston and Yonkers. In October, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation requiring a state-level study of any plans for large-vessel anchorage grounds on the Hudson River. Town of Rhinebeck Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia named the many issues involved in letting large barges park on the Hudson River. “There’s the viewshed, there’s visual pollution, there’s light pollution, there’s noise pollution,” she said. “There’s limitless damage that can be caused by this.” John Lipscomb, a boat captain for the environmental protection group Riverkeeper, said the meetings are a good idea. “This is a very rigid, structured conversation, and things that are going to be considered are things like vessel conditions, traffic conditions, navigational conditions, waterway conditions, immediate consequences of an accident, and subsequent consequences of an accident,” he said. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.