Brian Nearing is reporting in the Times Union a new state law gives the state Department of Environmental Conservation additional powers to weigh the potential environmental and waterfront impacts of transporting petroleum on state waterways like the Hudson River. The law also gives the DEC the ability to ban tanker storage from certain areas. The law, signed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo Tue., Oct 24, drew support from the environmental groups and elected officials who opposed a plan to store up to 43 barges at anchor along 70 miles of the Hudson between Kingston and Yonkers. Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan praised the new law and called on the DEC to its part by issuing regulations to protect the river. Under the new law, the DEC could create anti-tanker zones based on various factors including navigational hazards; environmental conditions;  presence of aquatic and wildlife habitats; proximity to waterfront communities; and, federally or state identified environmental remediation sites. Read the full story in the Times Union.