William J. Kemble reports in The Daily Freeman that Esopus Town Board members are the latest to join the Hudson River Waterfront Alliance against the proposal for ten new sites with 43 barge anchorages on the river. The proposal would make it possible for more barges to carry Bakken crude oil, refined petroleum, and dangerous chemicals such as benzene between ports in Albany and New Jersey refineries, parking temporarily at ten locations between Yonkers and Kingston. On April 4, near Catskill, a barge moving refined petroleum crashed, but did not leak. The proposal was submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard by the Maritime Association of the Port of New York/New Jersey Tug and Barge Committee, the Hudson River Port Pilots Association and the American Waterways Operators. Coast Guard officials have received 10,206 public comments on the proposal last year. The Town of Rhinebeck joined the alliance a few weeks ago, and Ulster County Executive Michael Hein, the Ulster County Legislature, Kingston Mayor Steve Noble, and the Kingston Common Council are on record against the proposal. Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.